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These Are The UK's Most-Ordered Dishes On Deliveroo In 2017

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The UK may boast a plethora of unusual, trendy restaurants that serve all manner of cuisines, particularly in our big cities, but it seems we're more likely to play it safe when ordering a takeaway.

Deliveroo has revealed the top 100 most-ordered dishes around the world in 2017 and the UK's most popular meals were pretty unadventurous, to say the least. Brits lean towards a classic cheeseburger when ordering from the food delivery service, with burgers our favourite meal. Maybe we're more likely to make bold choices when cooking at home?

Strangely, given the rise of veganism and vegetarianism in the UK, all of our most-ordered dishes contained meat or fish. The most popular "dish"? A bog standard cheeseburger from Five Guys in London, which was the third most-ordered Deliveroo dish in the world. This was followed by Chicken Katsu Curry from Wagamama, also in London.

Other beloved burgers included the Cheese 6oz American Cheeseburger from GBK, followed by a St Peter's Burger from The Meating Room in St Albans, along with the Byron Burger from Byron and the Dead Hippie Burger™ from MEATliquor, both in London.

We're also a nation of fish fans, with the Crazy Salmon Roll from Kenji Sushi (Edinburgh) and the Oahu Bowl from Ahi Poké (London) among the top 100 dishes ordered worldwide.

Oahu Bowl from Ahi PokéPhoto: Courtesy Of Deliveroo

Nine UK restaurants made it into the top 100 list, six of which were in London.

Ireland boasts a few of the world's most popular dishes, with the Burrito from Boojum in Dublin ranking as the second most-ordered in the world, ahead of the Five Guys Cheeseburger.

There were some clear worldwide trends to emerge from the ranking – outside of the UK, at least, 2017 was a year for making some bold takeaway choices. Hawaiian food, such as poke, was popular the world over, as were brightly coloured dishes like Buddah Bowls, as well as charcoal-flavoured foods and – wait for it – insects.

The UK's most-ordered dishes in 2017

Cheeseburger from Five Guys (London, UK)
Chicken Katsu Curry from Wagamama (London, UK)
Cheese 6oz American Cheeseburger from GBK (London, UK)
St Peter's Burger from The Meating Room (St Albans, UK)
Medium grilled chicken burrito from Tortilla (Brighton, UK)
Crazy Salmon Roll from Kenji Sushi (Edinburgh, UK)
Byron Burger from Byron (London, UK)
Dead Hippie Burger™ from MEATliquor (London, UK)
Oahu Bowl from Ahi Poké (London, UK)

Chicken Katsu Curry from WagamamaPhoto: Courtesy Of Deliveroo

The top 10 most-ordered dishes in the world 2017

1. Les Fernandines cheeseburger from Big Fernand (Lille, France)
2. Burrito from Boojum (Dublin, Ireland)
3. Cheeseburger from Five Guys (London, UK)
4. Tripletta Pizza from Tripletta (Paris, France)
5. Regular Burrito from Taqado Mexican Kitchen (Dubai, UAE)
6. Boojum’s Twojum from Boojum (Belfast, Ireland)
7. Sushi Box for Two from Sushi Shop (Toulouse, France)
8. Chicken Salad Bowl from The Daily Cut (Singapore)
9. Chicken Katsu Curry from Wagamama (London, UK)
10. Cheese 6oz American Cheeseburger from GBK (London, UK)

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What's Actually In The Refinery29 Team's Handbags?

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There's not much that will make you feel like you're failing at life more than reading one of those articles that peeks inside a woman's handbag, especially if she's a shiny, famous type. The carefully curated contents of their Saint Laurent shoulder bag inevitably include a Smythson diary, fancy hand cream and a travel-size bottle of Jo Malone. Well, I call bullshit. Mainly because I personally have never met a woman who carries an Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray with her everywhere she goes.

So we asked members of the Refinery29 UK team to reveal what was actually in their handbags. To make things interesting, we sprung the project on everyone so nobody had time to spruce up their bags. Click through to find out what we carry around with us, wrapper-less tampons and all.

Meg O'Donnell, Photo Assistant

Okay, so this shoot has made me realise that I may have a tiny problem when it comes to creams. Hand cream is one of my favourite things and I love this Yope Ginger & Sandalwood one (I also keep three other tubes in my desk at work). There's Body Shop face cream, which tends to my dry cheeks in winter. My little Babe Balm sorts out cracked lips as well as being a lovely glossy eye aid. Clarins body lotion as you can never have too much body lotion, no? Lilac glitter because why not? Gym locker padlock as apparently I gym now (new thing, guys). The largest, luminous purse known to man which practically lights up in my bag. Great for me in dark situations, even better for thieves. A notepad for my very detailed to-do lists plus fluffy pink pen. (My geography teacher at school once described me as a fluffy pink pen; not sure what to make of that but I’ll take it.) Finding a hairbrush in my bag was slightly odd to me as I’m most definitely not a ‘hair-brusher’. And celery and carrot snacks. Did I mention I gym now?

Gillian Orr, Content Director

Well, this is an embarrassing mess. But the game here is honesty. My Stella McCartney bag is certainly due an upgrade and the purple wallet is quite unsightly; I've only kept hold of it because it's the perfect size (potential Christmas present, anyone? Hint hint). I have three tubes of the same tinted Blistex Lip Brilliance because I'm a lip balm addict and I bulk buy them. Three seems a little unnecessary though, especially when I also have a MAC lipstick in Relentlessly Red. Then we have the incriminating smoking paraphernalia which I'm not proud of and obviously I'm going to quit in 2018. There's the essential paracetamol (two of which have escaped the packet and are floating around my bag). A random two pence piece, Pod loyalty card (used once) and a plaster round off this stunning collection.

Sadhbh O'Sullivan, Social Media Assistant

It’s not as bad as it could have been – I recently started changing between bags depending on what I’m wearing so a lot of detritus has been cleared out. I have the essentials: my wallet, iPhone cord, headphones, rogue hairbands, bobby pins, painkillers. I always carry my bike lights because I cycle to work, so the hairbands are extra important in case I’m late and go too fast, getting a sweaty head and unsalvageable hair. Makeup for days I have time/can be bothered: IT cosmetics brow pencil and mascara, Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector, Clinique mascara primer, and Kat Von D lipstick in Lolita II. The Aesop anti-blemish gel works wonders on whiteheads. I also have a train ticket from when I went to Sheffield, a spare straw for if I’m out wearing lipstick and drinking a can (forward-thinking), and a Polaroid that fell out of my wallet. It’s of me, asleep in a car driving through Denmark. My girlfriend took it so really it should be hers to carry around nostalgically but it reminds me of my favourite thing: me, asleep.

Jess Commons, Health & Living Editor

Wow, I think this is the most 'Health and Living Editor' my bag has ever managed to look. Gym clothes? Check. Vitamin supplements? Check. Hand sanitiser and special lady paracetamol for periods (which I suspect may just be normal paracetamol in pink packaging)? Check, check.

What somehow managed to be absent from my bag this day of all days is the half-empty packet of ageing tobacco, about 52 tampons and my receipts for everything I've bought in the last seven years. Thanks for catching me on a good day!

P.S. Those gym clothes are still unused and in my bag.

Sarah Raphael, Editor-at-Large

Lots of different kinds of eyedrops for my severely dehydrated eyes. A nice pen because I think all adults should carry pens. My must-have makeup items which include four kinds of eyeliner – from my Tom Ford brown pencil, to my clicky MAC black one, to my clicky NARS black one, to my Rimmel liquid liner. Then YSL mascara, a selection of lip balms, a pocket mirror, Chanel bronzer. Some hair clips and hair bands, chewing gum, deodorant, an emergency IBS tablet! Usually hoop earrings, usually a book. I like to have enough stuff in there to transform myself.

Alice Casely-Hayford, Fashion & Beauty Director

Previously, my bags used to be filled with all sorts of detritus, unnecessary belongings that I need not carry around with me every day and a multitude of half-eaten snacks. Now that I have an obsession with micro bags, I've had to edit down the amount of junk I carry around with me, reducing it to my Oyster card, my purse, a MAC compact (because I'm always shiny and need to mattify constantly), a lip balm, my keys, a Fenty highlighter (because once I've minimised shine I then like to add lots of glow back onto my face – the mind boggles). I actually never wear lipstick but this Charlotte Tilbury lipstick-shaped USB is always floating around my bag because it's cute and you never know when you'll need to transfer a file (!).

Chemmie Squier, Branded Content Manager

This bag cost me about £12.99 from H&M and holds a lot – ideal when you're as disorganised as me. So what do we have here... Plasters because I've been breaking in my new winter boots, much to the chagrin of my poor heels. A pen (R29 branded, no less) because I've recently got into doing the newspaper crossword on my commute. I know. I'm a lipstick aficionado so natch I have to have at least four in my bag at one time. These are some of my go-tos which cover me for every eventuality – Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Everlasting, Soap & Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker in Fired Up, Ciaté Lipstick in Praline (the perfect '90s brown but discontinued, cry) and Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lipcolour in Desert. I'll always have Carmex on me so my lips are prepped for aforementioned lipsticks. I'm reading The Power by Naomi Alderman at the moment (it's a slow burner but stick with it) and glasses for said book. A garishly bright purse which I bought in South Korea and I've started using because it's small and stops me collecting receipts. Hoop earrings in case of impromptu drinks. Oh, and a pantyliner because you never know.

Anna Jay, Art Director

What this looks like is one rather large bag with very light contents, but I qualify this with the fact I'm usually lugging around gym kit. My bag came from Tuscany, the region in Italy where most luxury bags are handmade but mine is plain and direct from the maker so therefore set me back just €70. I always carry a Klean Kanteen water bottle because I refuse to buy plastic ones, portable charger made useless without the accompanying cable and mini Sriracha in case – god forbid – I end up with tasteless food that needs some jazzing up. My Comme des Garçons wallet was a Christmas present about six years ago and is MUCH more battered than it looks here. Then the usual: Carmex for winter lips, various pens and Extra gum. I recently unearthed from my bedroom this Topshop lipstick in Rio Rio (discontinued) which is perfect for a quick fix-up, as is & Other Stories' pocket-sized body mist in Lemon Daydream. KIND bars are amazing for post-gym or pre-drinks (eating is not cheating).

Rose Lander, International Co-ordinator

I was never a girl scout, but my handbag clearly screams that I live to 'be prepared'. That is indeed both an umbrella and a pair of sunglasses just in case British weather should strike at any time. Lip balm, lip oil and lip gloss – none of which I actually remember to apply more than once a day but I fully believe that through the osmosis of carrying them in my bag I will somehow heal my dry lips. Two sets of keys. My card holder may look tiny but is still stuffed to the brim with receipts from 2016 and a Polaroid of my boyfriend I can't let go of. I'm also addicted to audiobooks and podcasts so have my bluetooth headphones and iPod on me at all times, so I never have to experience silence. That iPod is actually no longer in production and has every single Adam & Joe podcast on it so is probably my most valued possession. When I thought I left my bag on the Tube my first thought was, 'Credit card be damned, how on earth would I find another 16gb iPod Classic?' Because of my hoarding, every bag I own is known as a Mary Poppins bag by my friends, who are surprised that I manage to cram the most stuff into the smallest possible bag.

Georgia Murray, Fashion & Beauty Writer

The Whistles bag and Mulberry card holder are hand-me-downs from my mum, and make me look far more grown-up than what the contents reveal: loose tampons, because you never know when Lady Red will strike again; mints and gum as I'm always in meetings; two lots of Paw Paw-based lip balm – it's the only formula that keeps dry lips at bay; a cute round Whistles headphone holder...that my headphones never actually make it into; a pen and Moleskine as I'm still not on Google Calendar; a dictaphone for work interviews, which I'm fond of as it was a gift from my very first internship, many moons ago; my Oyster card; a card reader because I always seem to owe friends a fiver; a power bank my dad gave me because he was sick of my phone always dying; a NARS concealer for midday top-ups; Burt's Bees hand cream, which is one of the only non-greasy ones; a comb, which my boyfriend has been looking for for a few weeks (oops); and finally, my zine Girls Club, which I was taking to the post office that day.

Sian O'Flaherty, Senior Branded Content Manager

This Mansur Gavriel bucket bag was once smooth and shiny (like the ones you see on Instagram) but it’s now looking a bit worse for wear, having been used day in, day out for a few years now. Definitely time for a refresh! Looks aside, its bucket shape is perfect for carrying around this strange mish-mash of ‘essentials’ I seem to have here: Carven perfume (I’m a perfume addict), Tangle Teezer for my incredibly frizz-prone hair, gum (riveting), notebook, Céline sunglasses for the odd sunny day (I live in hope), Glossier rosewater facial spray (this is the bomb), headphones, wallet and that Glossier pink pouch which contains the usual life essentials – plasters, tampons and paracetamol, the glamour! And last but certainly not least, a party popper for an upcoming shoot we’re working on. God knows why it’s in there.

Louise Whitbread, Editorial Intern

Nothing too interesting here. My Ted Baker bag is fading and I'm on the hunt for a new one. But until then it contains my purse, stuffed full of receipts but lacking cash, and my headphones, which are essential – I just cannot get on public transport without them, though to be honest, the same goes for my Rimmel Compact Powder & Clinique Stay-Matte Universal Blotting Powder. The Real Techniques Powder Brush is more of a prop as I never actually use it, until I remember to clean it and then it goes straight back in the bag. Embarrassingly, my Tangle Teezer needs a clean, but it's great for giving a boost of volume if I'm going out after work. I have a Kylie Lip Kit in Mary Jo because I'm a bit basic and have no shame admitting that. Whenever I have a lot of work on, I have to tie my hair up so I've always got an Invisibobble to hand.

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Put These Picture-Perfect Destinations On Your Winter Travel List ASAP

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Leaving your house in the dead of winter can feel like an herculean task, especially when the weather is gloomy and there's black ice on the ground. But getting out of town sounds like the perfect antidote for our mounting seasonal affective disorder: We want a vacation, and we want it now.

While we would normally recommend a beach break as a nice way to deal with the weather, there's something to be said about destinations that pull off the winter wonderland look spectacularly. We're talking about places that offer impressive holiday decorations, lively Christmas markets, and readily available fireplaces. If a city looks quaint enough to be featured in a holiday card, we can (maybe) overlook the frostbites.

From a quaint ski town to a snowy wonderland, we've rounded up five postcard-perfect trips you should take while there's still snow on the ground. And, just so you'll know what to do should you decide to make an impulsive visit, we've also included the cosiest hotels in the area, plus the insider intel you need to know.

Paris, France

Paris is always a good idea, but the city comes to life during the wintertime in a truly spectacular fashion. The French capital channels its chicness into a stunning display of lights: Many of its iconic monuments, shopfronts, and streets — including the Avenue des Champs Elysées — are all adorned in full-on festive illuminations. The holiday decorations at Galeries Lafayette are a sight to behold: The legacy department store suspends a different multi-storey Christmas tree from its magnificent Art Nouveau glass ceiling each year.

Even though the wildly popular Champs Elysées Christmas market is not happening this year, you'll be equally satisfied with a walk through the little shops in Montmarte, a romantic neighbourhood with a cozy, village-y vibe. And, you can't possibly visit the most fashionable city in the world without stocking up on your winter wardrobe: Kiliwatch and Vintage Désir are two of our favourites to hunt for vintage treasures.

Photo: Getty Images.

Paris, France (Continued)

Where To Stay: Within walking distance from Champs Elysées, Arc de Trimophe, and Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Amastan Hotel feels more like an intimate pied-à-terre than a boutique hotel. Design touches such as industrial-style lighting fixtures, custom-made rattan chairs, and navy herringbone wooden walls give the rooms a lush yet understated look. The ground-floor bar, Anouk, is another Instagram haven in and of itself, outfitted with designer lighting, a glass roof, and leafy plants. The small garden offers a peaceful respite from the city. With these cozy amenities, you might never actually want to leave.

Photo: Courtesy of Amastan.

Paris, France (Continued)

Insider Tip: Forget Versailles: Skip the long lines and head to Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, a stunning, privately-owned property an hour outside of Paris. Its Baroque ceilings, stately chandeliers, and rich tapestries are said to have inspired the interior design of the Palace of Versailles. The castle is putting on an incredible spectacle for Christmas, with more than two dozen of its rooms filled with thousands of themed holiday installations, including trees made out of confectionery and an indoor enchanted forest.

Photo: Courtesy of Chateau Vaux-le-vicomte.

Park City, Utah

There's way to more Park City than the Sundance Film Festival. For one, it's a great destination for skiing, thanks to the crisp mountain air and powdery peaks. The ski town's Main Street has an old-world charm, thanks to the well-maintained 19th-century facades.

The Deer Valley region should be on any foodie's radar due to its emerging culinary scene: High West Distillery & Saloon offers a unique pairing menu for its blended whiskies, while The Deer Valley Grocery Cafe will give your the best comfort food fix after a day of hitting the slopes.

Park City, Utah (Continued)

Where To Stay: Silver King Hotel combines sweeping mountain views with the rustic decor of a traditional ski lodge. It's just a short walk from the PayDay ski lift, but still close enough to the Main Street. After admiring the snow-capped surrounds, guests can warm up in front of a wood-burning fireplace, which can be found in every room.

Photo: Courtesy of Silver King.

Park City, Utah (Continued)

Insider Tip: If you're feeling sore from a day of skiing, Spa Montage at Deer Valley offers offers massage treatments customised according to your body's pains and needs. Unwinding in the hot tub overlooking the mountains sounds like the ultimate way to unwind.

Photo: Courtesy of The Montage.

Edinburgh, Scotland

There's no better season than the winter to retrace J.K. Rowling's footsteps in Edinburgh, the place where she wrote the majority of the Harry Potter series. The city looks extra magical when covered in snow, like a Hogsmeade came to life. Grab a drink at The Balmoral, the grand dame hotel where Rowling finished the last chapters of the final book. After than, have a wander on Victoria Street and peruse wizardry merchandise at Diagon House, a shop dedicated to the franchise. AHA HA HA Jokes & Novelties, a prank shop with a look that rivals Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, is just a few doors down.

Even if you're not a fan of Harry Potter, Edinburgh is still well-worth a visit: Time your trip around the end of the year to catch Hogmanay, an outdoor festival of fireworks and concerts that ends with a dip in the freezing River Forth on New Year's Day.

Photo: Getty Images.

Edinburgh, Scotland (Continued)

Where To Stay: The recently-opened Principal Hotel on Charlotte Square, which overlooks the landmark National Archives building, is designed with a muse in mind: Hamish — a fictional character conjured up by the owners of the hotel — is a well-heeled Scottish gentleman with a love for books and travel. The rooms has a much more modern look in contrast, punctuated by a gallery wall above the beds and Scottish tartan wool blankets. The well-lit atrium of the hotel, with towering houseplants and a greenhouse-like ceiling, is one of the most stylish places in Edinburgh to eat breakfast.

Photo: Courtesy of The Principal.

Edinburgh, Scotland (Continued)

Insider Tip: If you can brace the cold winds, the one-hour hike up Arthur's Seat is truly worth it. There's no better place to take in the skyline of the whole city, and it's a great place to go sledding when covered in snow.

Photo: Getty Images.

Nagano, Japan

Nagano is home to some of the most gorgeous landscapes in Japan. There's vibrant foliage in the autumn, cherry blossoms in the spring, but what you see in the winter is extra special: There are snow monkeys warming up alongside you in the outdoor hot springs, for one, and frosted expanse for skiing, sledding, and snowboarding. Our pick would be Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort in northern Nagano, where there are all-natural, powdery snow and over 13 free natural spring baths open to the public.

For an additional dose of culture, stick around for the Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Festival on January 15, the folk celebration to fete happy marriages and first-born children through a massive bonfire watched by a huge crowd.

Photo: Getty Images.

Nagano, Japan (Continued)

Where To Stay: You'd be remiss if you didn't experience a ryokan, a traditional Japanese guesthouse with tatamis(woven straw flooring) as beds. Oshi Ryokan is a traditional inn managed by a family and is within walking distance to three historic shrines in the area, including the famous Togakushi Shrine.

Photo: Courtesy Of Booking.com.

Nagano, Japan (Continued)

Insider Tip: If you leave Japan without having ramen at least once, did you ever actually go? Ramen Zunpachi stands out from the other ramen joints in town, thanks to its silky pork bone and soy sauce broth — a family recipe passed down for generations.

Photo: Courtesy Of Ramen Zunpachi.

Prague, Czech Republic

The winters in Prague can be quite brutal, but since the rainy season is over by then, the snow actually enhances the storybook vibe of the city. The annual outdoor Christmas market, which takes place in the Old Town Square, is a stunning place to shop festive crafts and people watch — while imbibing a cup of mulled wine, of course. To warm yourself up after spending all that time outdoors, the city boasts a vast collection of highly-Instagrammable historic cafes, the most impressive being The Municipal House Cafe and Cafe Salvia.

Photo: Getty Images.

Prague, Czech Republic (Continued)

Where To Stay: Got a soft spot for retro design? Vintage Design Hotel Sax will catch your eye with its candy-coloured furniture and playful approach. Designed by a team of local architects, the rooms are covered in wall stylings with funky, psychedelic prints. The hotel is also a stone's throw away from famous sights such as the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge.

Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Sax.

Prague, Czech Republic (Continued)

Insider Tip: While Christmas is a special time to visit Prague, the city also puts on an amazing show to celebrate the end of winter: Party with the locals at the Carnevale Praha at the end of January, a street parade where crazy and creative costumes are mandatory.

Photo: Getty Images.

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Is It Okay To Question Your Engagement?

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If you're one of the people who finds themselves taking the ultimate plunge during this engagement season, congrats! You might be fielding thrilled texts from your friends and family, answering questions about wedding planning (which, good luck), and soaking up every moment of this loved-up time. But after the excitement over hitching your life to someone else's for all of eternity wears off, you may find yourself questioning the whole situation. That can be a seriously alienating feeling, because this is meant to be the happiest time of your life — right?

But a major life moment like this is bound to bring up some anxiety. It's a huge deal. "If you didn't question your engagement, that could actually be more of an issue," says Amie Harwick, PhD, a licensed family and marriage counsellor. "It's important to say to yourself, 'Is this something I want? Have we talked about this enough? Is it consistent with both of our individual goals?'" And those questions are natural for most people who have recently gotten engaged.

According to Kelley Kitley, LCSW, a clinical psychologist, we need to normalise this kind of questioning. "The expectation is so high, especially for women, that we've been waiting for this our entire lives, that we think it's supposed to be so magical," she says. "But once the excitement wears off, the reality can be scary." And in reality, people question their relationships at every stage — even those who've been together for years. "I have those days with my own partner where I ask myself if they're crazy, and if I can really spend the rest of my life with this person," she says. "But then the next day is better, and the questions go away."

But in the case of her newly engaged clients, Kitley says 90-95% of have questioned whether this big step is the right next step. "The biggest question they ask themselves is, 'Is this really forever?'" she says. And that's definitely a good place to start.

What you have to pay attention to, though, is whether those questions turn to doubt. "Questioning your engagement could be something like, 'I wonder how my agnostic parents are going to get along with my Catholic boyfriend,'" Dr. Harwick says. "Doubting is more negative. It's asking, 'Can I live with a Catholic for the rest of my life?'" Doubts should be taken seriously — especially because they can point to larger incompatibilities.

Whether you're straight doubting your new commitment, or just parsing how exactly you feel about changing your life as you know it, it's a great idea to sit down with a trusted person to explore your thoughts. Both Kitley and Dr. Harwick suggest some pre-wedding therapy. "It could be with a psychologist or a religious leader," Dr. Harwick says. "But working through these questions can really lighten the emotional load of your engagement."

Kitley adds: "People are more well-equipped and feel better about their decision if they've processed it with a therapist." This kind of check-in doesn't mean signing up for couple's therapy for life; it could just be a one-time sit-down, and it's a strategy that can be useful at other times in your relationship, too.

Taking a moment to be sure you and your partner are hearing and acknowledging one another, and that the partnership is progressing in a way that's positive for everyone, simply can't hurt. So don't conflate your questions for cold feet. Working through your anxieties could actually lead to a happier marriage in the end.

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Michael Cera Eviscerates Jessica Chastain In This Clip From Molly's Game

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In a matter of just 60 seconds, Molly (Jessica Chastain, who is nominated for a Golden Globe for the role) in Molly's Game loses the "game." The game in question is a mixture of poker and industry — in the film, Chastain plays Molly Bloom, a woman who earned millions of dollars running exclusive poker games in Los Angeles and New York. The movie is based on the book Molly's Game: The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World, which was written by the real-life Bloom.

In the exclusive clip below, Molly loses a high stakes game when she slights one of her most high-profile clients. Michael Cera plays player "X," a member of the Hollywood elite. (Both Tobey Maguire and Matt Damon appear in the book. Cera's character is believed to be a composite of Maguire and Damon. Aaron Sorkin, the writer and director, told Entertainment Weekly that beyond Molly, he tried to obscure all the identities of the famous people featured in the book.)

In the movie, Molly loses the game when player X calls out her salary. Molly makes her money through tips from the players of the game, and she makes quite a lot of it. As player X points out, Molly is one of the biggest winners of the night. Only one player wins the poker game, but Molly wins a pile of cash every single night. It's this conversation that marks a turning point for Molly: As soon as player X (a wealthy actor) challenges her authority, he essentially calls her bluff. And she is bluffing — she makes a lot of money, but she has virtually no power.

Watch the full clip, below.

Mollys Game

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You Have To See Missguided's New Totally Unretouched Campaign

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Missguided was roundly applauded last month for showing its swimwear models' stretch marks, and now the high-street fashion retailer has gone a step further by launching a completely unretouched campaign – and it's going down a treat on social media.

The campaign, #MakeYourMark, stars nine barnstorming "babes of Missguided" – models, body-positive activists and bloggers – who were chosen to encourage women to "love themselves", embrace their "flaws" and reject what "the world perceived as perfection".

"Because f*ck perfection. It doesn't exist," the retailer's website reads. "We are making a pledge to never retouch our models' perfect 'imperfections' out." Among the women enlisted to preach the body-positive message are model Emily Bador, model and body positivity activist Felicity Hayward, designer, artist and model Jade Laurice, and Fatty Boom Tatty blogger Sam Rowswell.

"For the last two years with #SELFLOVEBRINGSBEAUTY I've been pushing the importance of SELF LOVE and understanding that FLAWS don't exist. Can't tell you how proud I am to be part of #MAKEYOURMARK with @Missguided," tweeted Hayward.

The ads are part of Missguided's larger campaign, Keep On Being You, which features a range of inspiring women, from model and social activist Munroe Bergdorf and the plus-size advocate and LGBT activist Enam Asiama, to Baddie Winkle, the 89-year-old fashion and internet personality and all-round badass.

The overwhelmingly positive social media reaction to the latest campaign further strengthens the idea that we're tiring of airbrushed "perfection" and outdated beauty standards.

ASOS was similarly applauded for showing its models' stretch marks on its site earlier this year, with customers hailing the move "a step in the right direction". Which big-name retailers will be next, we wonder?

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What You Should Know About The Upcoming Winter Solstice

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"Winter inspires both joy and woe," according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. We fully cosign with this statement: This season may bring parties and merriment, but it's also stressful. We often find ourselves burning the candle at both ends while trying to find gifts for everyone on our list and finish extra work before going on holiday.

Another reason it may be stressful? The days are shorter, and therefore gloomier. But after the winter solstice — the shortest day of the year, meaning we'll experience the least sunlight in 24 hours — they'll get longer again.

What, exactly, is the winter solstice? Solstices happen because the earth gradually moves around the sun and is tilted on its axis. In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs when the sun is at its southernmost location in the sky. If you're in the southern hemisphere, the summer and winter solstices are reversed.

Traditionally, the winter solstice — sometimes called Yule in Pagan and Wiccan traditions — has marked a time of spiritual rebirth and coming together with community, which is why we see many cultures and religions celebrating holidays around this time.

This is the time of year when "nature itself is inviting us to really accept ourselves, so we can grow and cleanse and prepare for personal growth," seeress and shaman Deborah Hanekamp of Mama Medicine told Refinery29.

Hanekamp suggested a few ways to observe the solstice: Make sure you have plenty of natural light (or candles at night), try to go screen-free to avoid distractions, don't drink too much, gather with friends for a meal, and, above all, do some self-reflection. It's a time to illuminate your "shadow self," she said, and ask yourself: "What are you ready to let go of and leave behind, to essentially let die or leave in the dark? Are there parts of your hidden self that need to be given a voice?"

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Margot Robbie Talks To R29 About I, Tonya, #MeToo, & More

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Twenty-four years following a scandal that rocked the world, Margot Robbie takes on the role of figure skater Tonya Harding in a behind-the-scenes story that will have you questioning what’s real, what’s fake, and how much we truly know about the controversial figures who become cultural lightning rods. I, Tonya opens in the UK February 23rd.

At Tuesday night's New York screening of I, Tonya, Margot Robbie arrived in a sheer, glittering floor-length dress. I almost had to do a double take to make sure that it was indeed Robbie standing in front of me, and not the big screen version of figure skater Tonya Harding. And then she offered up that wide, signature smile and Australian accent and I thought Ah, there she is.

Robbie may not beTonya Harding, but she sure is championing the infamous figure skater as both the star and producer of this film, which reveals Harding's perspective of her involvement in an assault against fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan in 1994. The film was just nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, including one for Robbie in the Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy category. But for Robbie and her production company, Lucky Chap, I, Tonya is just the beginning of bringing more women's stories to light.

"Our company has 13 films in development at the moment, and I'm starring in a few of them," Robbie said during a Q&A after the screening. "And we have a TV department right now, so I'm really busy producing female-led stories at the moment. And hopefully I'll be playing [ Suicide Squad's] Harley Quinn again soon, I'm hoping next year!"

I, Tonya screenwriter Steven Rogers joined the conversation, as well as Paul Walter Hauser, who plays Harding's former "bodyguard" Shawn Eckhardt in the movie. Rogers explained that what he hopes makes this film unique is the layered way it tells the story of one of the most scandalous moments in sports history.

"It is a really funny story, and it is a really tragic story, and it is a really crazy story," he said. "And it's a true story, depending on whose point of view you believe. I didn't want to limit it...I felt like why should any movie be just one thing? Why can't it be all that stuff?"

You can watch the full video of our panel below or read highlights to check out more on how Robbie learned to skate like Harding, her view on why women in sports are pitted against one another, what all three of the panelists are feeling about the state of Hollywood in the midst of the #MeToo movement, and more.

Refinery29: Like the movie says, I think everyone has a different memory of what actually went down between Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. What were your recollections of what happened in "the incident?"
Paul: "I knew very little. I was born in 1986, so for me it was snapshots of seeing these people being investigated and that being a story across Ricki Lake and Montell Williams and Oprah and Sally Jesse. It was part of that like loud trashy television coverage."

Margot: "I was four years old at the time, so I missed it completely, and I was in Australia. When I read the script, I didn't know any of it was true. I didn't know any of these people were real-life people, I thought it was completely fictionalised in Steven's brain!"

How did the idea for I, Tonya come to life?
Steven: "I gambled on myself and wrote the script without financing to see if people would actually want it. And if they did, then I could have some caveats. The first caveat that I had was that Allison Janney was gonna play the part that I wrote for her [as Harding's mother]. I've known Allison for 100 years, so I wanted it in writing, or it was a dealbreaker. I did this before Allison had even read the script or said that she would do it!"

Margot: "I read the script, and obviously our production company was looking for female-driven content for my production company. We spoke to a lot of brilliant, brilliant directors, but the conversation we had with Craig Gillespie, who ended up being our director, no one could articulate how they would accomplish the tone in the film the way he could, and how they'd handle the violence. They were the two biggest questions we had, and he just had such a clear vision for the project. He had no judgement of these characters."

You interviewed Tonya Harding and her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly in real life before creating the movie. Can you talk a little bit about what that was like?
Steven: "I just happened to see this great documentary on ESPN about Tonya Harding called 30 for 30. There were things about it that really resonated with me about class in America and the disenfranchised and what we tell women they're supposed to be. And truth, and the perception of truth, and what we tell ourselves just to be able to live with ourselves. All of that was wrapped around this really crazy story. So I went on the Tonya Harding website to find out if the life rights were even available, and I found a number for her agent and it was a Motel 6. I just thought I'm so in! I tracked down Tonya Harding, and I tracked down Jeff Gillooly, and I'd never really even interviewed anyone before. When I did interview them, their stories were so wildly different, they just remembered everything differently. I thought, that's my in, I'll show everybody's point of view and then let the audience decide what's what."

Margot, how did you physically get prepared for the part of an Olympic ice skater? How much of what we saw was you versus a stunt double?
Margot: "Anything truly spectacular is not me. Try as I might, I could never pretend to be a professional ice skater. I did like four or five months of training, five days a week, four hours a day. It was a lot. I'd skated like a handful of times growing up, but not really because I'm from the Gold Coast in Australia. There's no ice! I can surf! But when I moved to America, I joined an ice hockey team...but it turns out ice hockey skates and figure skates are totally different, so I was face planting until I could really wrap my head around the topic. I quickly discovered that it was a brutal sport and incredibly difficult. I trained for ages and after awhile I started making progress and after awhile it became really fun, I really love it."

There' in this movie. What were some of the hardest scenes for you to film, Margot?
Margot: "Logistically, shooting those scenes, that's fine, it's a mechanical thing. Emotionally, it's different. Honestly doing those scenes with Allison or with Sebastian Stan [who plays Jeff], it really comes down to your acting partner. But what struck me, there was a documentary made about Tonya when she was 15, way before she knew the media was going to scrutinise her every move, so she was very candid and vulnerable. She was talking about her home life, and she was saying very candidly to the camera 'My mum hits me and she beats me and she's an alcoholic.' She was saying it just like that. Just desensitised to it at 15. That struck me as an important element of this abusive cycle that she went through as a child and into her marriage that she just accepted because it was so habitual. Craig had the great idea of having her break the fourth wall in those moments so you could see her emotionally disconnect from what was happening to her physically at the time, so you got the idea of how repetitive these sorts of abusive relationships can be. And I think speaking directly to the audience in those moments makes it a little easier for the audience to be like, okay I can keep watching, on some level I think she's fine, and I'm watching a movie. I think that was an important way to do it. But Craig said you can't shy away from the violence, because doing that would be an incredible disservice to anyone who has suffered violence. It was something we paid particular attention to."

Why do you guys think that the public was so quick to make Tonya the villain in this real life story, despite the roles that her ex-husband and bodyguard played?
Steven: "It was the first time there was a 24-hour news cycle and the first time that people really had to fill it. So I think people cared less about being accurate, and they just wanted content. So the easiest way to do that was to just reduce them to be just one thing. Tonya was the villain and Nancy was the princess and that's what we were fed and that's what we believed."

Margot: "I think it was easier to put Tonya as the villain because she just wasn't the image that the figure skating world wanted. I've watched every video of her skating like a thousand times over and the number of times they comment on the class of family she comes from, it should just be about the skating, but they'll be like 'Here's Tonya Harding, girl from the wrong side of the tracks!' It's just like, give her a chance! But it's about which box they decided to put each woman in. I think both were unfairly portrayed, because they portrayed Nancy Kerrigan as being from the elite, but she apparently came from a blue-collar family herself."

Paul: "I think there's really been an unfair stigma, lately men have been getting it in Hollywood and thank God people are uncovering a lot of garbage. But women, go to any checkout aisle of any grocery store, and you'll see people plastering names and accusations on women in the media that just by reading them, you know they're untrue. It's just people gravitating toward a story and things tend to snowball. In Tonya's case, like many stories, they let it evolve into this monster."

Steven: "I think the media likes to pit two women against each other, and people eat that up."

Shawn and Jeff each received 18 months in prison for their roles in the Nancy Kerrigan incident, but Tonya Harding was banned from ice skating for life. Do you each think those were fair sentences?

All three: "No."

Margot: "I just don't think she should have been banned from figure skating at all. That was her livelihood. She dropped out of school to do skating, there was nothing to fall back on. She obviously didn't come from a family that could lend her family or anything like that. I think that was so unfair. I don't care if people think she did it or not, she didn't deserve that."

You guys are telling a really important story for women in this movie. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, are you guys hopeful about Hollywood right now?
Paul: "So hopeful. I think we're done with the bullshit. I think people are ready to be vocal and stick up for each other. There were a lot of people that wanted to stick up for people, but everyone was afraid of their jobs. And now people are losing jobs. I'm thrilled that it's happening and I think you're gonna see a big turnaround, not just in how people are treated, but how films are made and seeing more female-led projects in Hollywood."

Margot: "What he said! But it's true, I think the new wave...we're a really young production company, this is our first film to make it to the big screen that we've produced. I can kind of feel that this young generation as we enter the industry, we're pointing out the things that we don't agree with and we wanna change it. It is about moving forward and finding what we're gonna fix and actually doing something about it instead of talking about it. There's been a lot of talk about it, and the chat does need to continue so it doesn't get swept under the rug. But everyone pivoted very quickly into how are we going to fix it, though, and how are we going to make sure this doesn't happen again."

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I Spent A Week Asking Coupled-Up People Why They're In Relationships

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As a single woman, I get asked a lot of intrusive questions about my love life. "Have you tried dating apps?" (Yes. Every single one.) "Have you considered moving out of a major city? It might be easier." (Considering my job and friends are here, I'm not going to uproot myself to maybe land a man.) "Don't you worry about having kids one day?" (Thanks for reducing me to my womb, pal.)

And while all of these are terrible, awful, no-good inquiries, there is one that bothers me more than the rest: "Why are you single?" It's a ridiculous question to ask a person — right up there with, " How are you still single?" It's like asking a person why they're not taller, or why they were born with brown eyes. I'm not sure why I'm single. If I knew, I might not be single anymore.

And honestly, have you ever heard someone ask coupled-up people why they're coupled-up? Probably not, because why would someone ask such a nonsense small-talk question?

But because I thrive in nonsense, I decided to spend a week asking coupled-up folk why they aren't single. I had some rules for this, though. Since I consider this a rude question that would inevitably lead to the person telling me to fuck off, I'd only ask people who I didn't already intimately know. No badgering my friends and fam about their duo status. (You're welcome, guys.)

Ahead, find out how my week went. Spoiler: I only got told to fuck off once.

On the first night of this experiment, my friend invited me to a dinner party she was hosting with a bunch of people I'd never met before. When I arrived, I tossed my coat off, grabbed a glass of champagne, and started talking to the first person with whom I made eye contact. Her name was Tara* and we started chatting, eventually talking about the fact that she and her boyfriend had recently moved into a new apartment. I asked her if this was their first time living together, and she said yes.

"Can I ask you a weird question?" I said. She nodded, and I went in for the kill. "Why are you in a relationship?"

Tara looked at me totally stunned. I think, for a second, she thought I was hitting on her. But then she started laughing. "No one has ever asked me that before!" she said. I quickly explained why I was asking — that, as a single woman, I get asked all the time, but never hear people asking couples — and she said she'd never realised that before.

"I guess I just feel more myself in a relationship," Tara said, after taking a minute to think. "I really love him, and I love our life together. And I like the security of being in a relationship."

I loved that answer. When I was more cynical about love, I probably would have considered the idea of being "more yourself" in a relationship too dependent and clingy. In the past, I probably would have shaken her and told her, "YOU DON'T NEED NO MAN!" But coming from Tara, it sounded really honest and beautiful.

A couple of nights later, I found myself alone in an Uber Pool. After a couple of minutes, the driver picked up a second passenger — a cute guy who looked like he was in his early 30s. Usually, I'm not interested in chatting in an Uber. But this guy looked friendly enough, so when he asked how my night was going, I decided to actually talk to him, too.

I asked where he was coming from, and he told me his boyfriend's's place. "Oh! That's awesome!" I said, a little too excitedly. (Thanks, vodka.) I'd found my second person to talk to for this story! He gave me a little side-eye, so I laughed and explained what I did for a living. "I'm working on a story, and I wonder if I could ask you — why are you in a relationship?"

His eyes widened. "Whoa, that's heavy," he said. He started listing off a lot of basic factoids about his S.O. — he's funny, they have a lot in common, and they have good sex. I asked him if that was all, and he sighed. "We've been together so long, that it just makes sense," he said. "But is that a good reason?"

Fearing that I might have just initiated the breakup of what seemed to be a lovely (and sexually compatible, by the sound of it) couple, I quickly explained to him why I was asking the question, and then starting yammering on about the other kinds of stories I was working on. He was sweet and engaged, and we talked until we got to my stop. But I could tell that my question still lingered with him.

One of the reasons why I love the bar around the corner from my apartment is because the bartenders are always up for a chat. But on this particular night, my guy was busy, so I struck up a conversation with Wyatt*, another patron sitting near my stool. We eventually got to flirting, and I was getting some serious vibes from him. So when he got up to leave, I asked for his phone number, but was surprised when he told me he had a girlfriend.

"Really?" I asked. "Why are you in a relationship?" Wyatt laughed and asked if that was my way of hitting on him. I told him no, I respected another person's claim, but that I really wanted to know.

He leaned in, looked into my eyes, and said, "I don't know. But I think we're happy."

For some reason, I didn't believe him in that moment. Why would he be flirting with a woman at a bar if he had a partner back at home? But I tried to remember that everyone is on their own journey, and every relationship is different. Wyatt bought my next drink, paid his tab, and then walked out of the bar — presumably, back to his girlfriend.

After Wyatt left, I struck up a conversation with the couple sitting to my left at the same bar. They'd just moved to the area, so I started giving them suggestions of places they should try out.

It must have been the beer talking, but out of nowhere, I just blurted out the question: "Why are you in a relationship?" They were both stunned, but then the woman answered me. "What the fuck kind of question is that?" I laughed, but she didn't think it was funny. "That's a really rude question to ask, don't you think?" she said.

I tried to explain why I was asking, but she didn't want to hear it. Her partner, on the other hand, didn't know what to say. I was totally embarrassed, and figuring that there was no graceful way to extract myself from the conversation, I paid my tab, apologised, and left the bar.

The lesson there? Maybe this is a rude question, after all.

I'm not sure there's a grand, life-altering lesson to be learned here. But I certainly confirmed my belief that relationship status doesn't really tell you much about who a person is at their core. More importantly, I was reminded that I actually don't have to answer intrusive questions about my dating life.

So the next time someone asks, "Why are you still single?" I won't answer the question as it's asked. I'll say, "I'm not really sure, but it's opened me up to some really amazing experiences." And then I'll go about filling in the blanks of what makes me a fully fleshed-out person who just happens to not be in a relationship. Because, for the most part, the people who are inquiring are likely well-meaning — and telling someone to fuck off isn't really my preferred strategy.

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UK Baby Born With Her Heart Outside Of Her Body Has Survived Surgery

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A baby born with a rare congenital condition is now on the road to recovery after three intensive surgeries to put her heart inside her chest.

The baby was born with ectopia cordis, an extremely rare condition that causes the heart to grow outside of the body. Delivered by a team of 50 medical professionals at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, England, Vanellope Hope Wilkins is now three weeks old. According to Dr. Frances Bu'Lock, a paediatric cardiology consultant at the hospital, Vanellope is the first baby to survive the operation in the United Kingdom. "I deal with babies with heart problems all the time, some of them very complicated," she told CNN.

Her condition was discovered during an ultrasound scan nine weeks into the pregnancy. "I had prepared myself for the worst; that was my way of dealing with it. I had brought an outfit to hospital that she could wear if she died," said Naomi Findlay, Vanellope's mother, in a statement. "I genuinely didn't think my baby would survive, but the staff at Glenfield have been amazing."

50 minutes after being born, she underwent her first of three cardiac surgeries. According to Dr. Martin Ward-Platt of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Vanellope's condition was even more unusual than the already uncommon condition in that she had no other complications with her heart or other organs.

"The moment she was born I realised that we had made the right decision," said Vanellope's father, Dean Wilkins, in a statement. "People always knock the NHS, but all we have seen from the team at Glenfield is kindness and a desire to keep Naomi and Vanellope safe and I can't begin to thank them for what they have done for my girls."

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Being Diagnosed With OCD Was The Happiest Day Of My Life

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It was on the first day back at work after Christmas last year when, as I was cycling home, hands and face numb from the bitter cold and everything around me shrouded in darkness, a fox fell from the sky. No, really, an actual fox. The fox had been hit by a passing train overhead on the bridge and fallen over the side, straight into my path. I stopped, shocked, startled, helpless and a little perplexed, looking at the fox as its body trembled en route to its inevitable and untimely death. When I got home to my empty flat, I pondered how unlucky someone would have to be, to be passing under the bridge at that precise moment. Pretty unlucky, I concluded, filed it under 'Bad omens for 2017' and climbed into bed. The next morning on my way past the fateful spot, however, the fox corpse was nowhere to be seen, which struck me as peculiar, given that just 12 hours had passed since the incident. And that’s when it happened; that’s when a malignant thought dropped into my consciousness and took root: 'What if the fox didn’t actually exist, and I had hallucinated the whole thing? What if I was crazy and was seeing things? What if my mind had created the whole episode?' It did seem pretty far-fetched...

In the days and weeks that followed this incident, I couldn’t move for foxes. Foxes on adverts, foxes outside my bedroom window, foxes in magazines, each and every one triggering the malevolent yet strangely seductive thought that I had imagined the whole thing, which I couldn’t for the life of me deflect with any level of conviction. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, when my anxiety hit its peak and I asked a friend to verify whether he had seen the fox standing a metre ahead of us, that I came undone. He had. I cried and cried, sweet tears of relief.

Now, the comic absurdity of this story isn’t lost on me, far from it; it’s now safely lodged in my repertoire of 'amusing things that happened when I was mentally ill', which I often roll out to demonstrate to people that, as with anything in life, when it comes to your mental health, it helps to have a sense of humour. What I hadn’t realised, however, until recently, was that Foxgate was one of many such episodes that have recurred throughout my life, and was a symptom of my undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

You see, for as long as I can remember, I have been a problem-solver. Now this is not, in itself, a bad thing. For the most part, my ability to identify issues and find solutions has allowed me to develop and maintain meaningful, enduring and mutually respectful relationships; to push myself academically, professionally, personally, emotionally and physically; and to dedicate my attention to the betterment of myself and the world around me. In fact, I am often called upon by friends and colleagues for advice, because of my natural ability to look at a problem panoramically.

However, during periods of prolonged or intense stress, this compulsion to find a solution to anything and everything that could be considered a 'problem' can sometimes malfunction, taking me to the corners of my mind that the light struggles to reach. This is usually because the 'problem' that I am trying to solve is me; that is to say, the thing that I believe to be intrinsically wrong with me, which is the sole cause of my inability to live the peaceful and loving existence that I so crave. As is common among sufferers of mental illness, this derives predominantly from a series of deeply held convictions about myself that I have historically believed without question, and which are all adjectives qualified by the words 'not' and 'enough'. During these times, of which there have been only a few particularly acute episodes in my life, I have fallen down a well so deep it has taken months to pull myself back out again. Yes, my friends, I’m talking mental breakdown.

Over the years, this relentless pursuit to uncover and solve this mystical 'something' that makes me different from those around me has led me down some particularly dark corridors, during which times I have worried that I am one, or all, of the following things (to clarify, I am none of these things; I checked with my psychiatrist): an abuser, a narcissist, a sociopath, an imposter, an emotional manipulator, a cheater, a liar, and even a murderer. It has tricked me into thinking that I am physically repulsive, unloveable, mentally unstable, unkind, selfish, stupid, cruel; unfaithful, intolerable, untrustworthy, clinically insane, annoying, and without talent or skill. This obsessive solution-finding exercise has stolen seconds, minutes, hours, days and years of my life, robbing me of peace, enjoyment, contentment and the ability to feel or appreciate the love of others. During particularly bad phases, I would even have to avoid reading stories, or watching TV programmes or films containing even the faintest suggestion of malevolent behaviour. This is because I knew that I would then spend the next few days worrying whether I too possessed that trait or affliction. God, it was tiring.

Now, as a self-professed solution-finder, it may seem ironic to learn that I was fundamentally incapable of solving the 'What’s wrong with me?' puzzle. Every single time I stumbled upon a solution, doubt would creep in or a fresh, new idea would force its way into my mind and arrest my thoughts. You know that annoying feeling when you’re doing a crossword or a quiz and a question comes up you know that you know the answer to, but you just can’t quite retrieve from the depths of your mind? This is what OCD feels like to me; a sensation of being forever on the edge of a solution that evades my grasp, which, once identified, will make everything okay. And like a cat chasing its tail, every time I feel like I’m nearing the solution, it moves just beyond my reach once more.

Now as someone who grew up around mentally ill relatives, who had previously been (incorrectly) diagnosed with both a general anxiety disorder and a panic disorder, who has many friends with OCD and, indeed, who has read every single description of every single mental disorder (and subsequently convinced themselves they had every single one of these conditions), you’re probably thinking, 'But Rose, how did you not work this out sooner? All those hours spent trying to reach what is a relatively simple and well-signposted answer?'

Well chaps, the truth is that I had. In fact, when the empathetic and incredibly insightful psychiatrist I visited in the summer delivered my diagnosis, she quickly followed it with an observation: “But I think you knew that already.” And she was right. But the problem was that years of habitual self-doubt had made me instinctively question the validity of my own thoughts, feelings and perceptions, and assume them to be a product of my 'melodramatic personality'.

As I walked out of her office and back out into the real world, contrary to what one would expect upon receiving what is, objectively speaking, a pretty scary diagnosis, I was hit by the most overwhelming sense of calm I have ever felt in my life. I went straight to a therapy session and cried non-stop for an hour, but they weren’t tears of sadness, it was a feeling of unadulterated relief; I no longer carried the burden of having to find the solution. Because the irony of it all was that the very thing that had led me to question what was wrong with me, was the thing that was wrong with me all along.

Now I don’t want to sit here and preach the value of labels; lord knows that living in a society that seeks to pigeonhole and marginalise people based on their objective differences has so far yielded naught but misery and conflict. But in this particular situation, being able to identify and categorise whatever dysfunctional pursuit that my mind is engaging in has enabled me to put it aside and refocus my energies. Before, when people told me to “just think about something else”, I couldn’t understand what they meant, such was the potency of my ritualistic obsessing; if only it were that simple. Now, however, I am able to say, “Oh, that’s just the ol’ OCD again”, allowing me to disengage from said thought for long enough to starve it of life. And I am not alone in this. According to Miranda Boal, a psychologist and founder of Skylark Therapy in London, “a label can help to shine a light to guide both client and therapist out of the labyrinth, and find ways of coping along the route.” Delivered compassionately, a diagnosis can enable a patient to “recognise that the problem is the illness and not them,” allowing them to be “more forgiving and accepting of themselves.”

A week after my diagnosis, I cycled to Paris to raise money for Mind, which was possibly the most meaningful thing I have ever achieved in my life, and since then things have only improved. I have, with the support of an incredibly patient and kind therapist, learned that not everything has a single fixed solution, and that the relentless search for one is what produces anxiety, panic and fear. I am not a puzzle that needs to be solved; neither is life in general. And for those of you paying close attention, that’s it! That’s my eureka moment! I’ve solved the OCD riddle guys, we can all go home. The more comfortable we can make ourselves with seeing foxes fall from the sky, and embracing uncertainty and the not knowing more generally, the more liberated, peaceful and content we will become. The end.

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Winter Date Night Spots Sure To Warm Your SO's Heart

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The days are getting colder and the nights are drawing in, but that's no reason to let romance go out of your life. Whether you've just swiped right, are trying to turn that Christmas party hookup into something more serious, or are celebrating your two-year anniversary with your SO, life's too short to Netflix and chill every single date night.

London is ranked the sixth best city in the world for dating but deciding where to go can be tricky. Nowadays, a date might involve spending all night at a Colombian rave or splitting a vegan breakfast buffet. (Yes, those are dates we have actually been on. No, we don't want to talk about it.) So how are you supposed to choose?

Well, Londoners, we've got your back. Click through to see our favourite date night spots that are perfect whatever the weather.

Get your skates on

Tower of London Ice Rink

It may not be the most original idea for a date in December, but what could be more seasonal than ice skating with your SO? Lace up your skates, get out on the rink and hold hands while you glide along – or, if you skate like we do, cling on to matching plastic penguins and focus on not falling over. We can't all be ice queens after all.

A plethora of great London landmarks open up ice rinks for the winter but the Tower of London's is truly special. Not only can you skate in the shadow of one of the capital's most famous castles, you also get stunning views of the river and east London's skyline. Once you've showed off your amazing skating skills, there's a handy bar where you can get cosy with mulled wine and rum punch.

Tower of London Ice Rink
Tower Hill, St Katharine's & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB

Stay warm and cosy at the pictures

Prince Charles Cinema

There's nothing wrong with the traditional dinner and a movie and if you love film you might be looking for something a bit more festive than the latest blockbuster. Prince Charles Cinema is a gem, showing the best of the month's releases all year round, as well as arthouse cinema and classics, from Casablanca to Wayne's World.

In December you can also cuddle up and get in the holiday spirit at multiple screenings of Elf and It's A Wonderful Life plus a double feature of Home Alone and Home Alone 2. You'll get free prosecco and mince pies with your ticket to Love Actually and if your date can't keep quiet at the cinema, why not take them to a singalong screening of Frozen? If you can survive singing "Let It Go" together, you'll know they're a keeper.

Prince Charles Cinema
7 Leicester Place London WC2H 7BY

Photo: Courtesy of Prince Charles Cinema

Keep up the romance (without splashing the cash)

Little Bay

December is notoriously tough on everyone's wallets. If you've had a Black Friday blowout, booked your train home and bought enough Terry's Chocolate Oranges to see you through until January, how are you supposed to afford to date as well? Fortunately, there's Little Bay, which has been serving up a delicious mix of European dishes, all fairly priced, for over 25 years.

Your table at Little Bay awaits behind plush red curtains, watched over by golden angels. It may even be perched atop a tower, where you can peek out at your fellow diners or cosy up in the glow of the chandelier. And once you're finished, your bill for a three-course meal will set you back just £12.95. Under £15 for a mouthwatering three courses? In London? Grab your coat love, you've pulled.

Little Bay
Locations in Kilburn & Croydon

Photo: Courtesy of Little Bay

Warm up, inside and out, with chocolate

Rabot 1745

Sipping hot chocolate with your SO isn't just an excuse for a cute Insta story, it's also a potential aphrodisiac. Recent studies have shown chocolate contains a powerful dopamine-enhancing chemical, otherwise known as the 'love drug'. But you'll have to do better than Cadbury's to get loved up; cocoa is the active ingredient, so the higher the cocoa content, the greater the romance.

Fortunately, it's easy to find high quality chocolate at Rabot 1745, the Borough Market restaurant run by famed chocolatiers, Hotel Chocolat. The heady aroma of melting chocolate is pervasive – unsurprising, really, as there is cocoa in everything, from the salads to the signature ketchup. Pop in for a steaming hot chocolate, go for a full three courses of choc-inspired dishes or see if a cocoa-infused beer gets you going. Whatever you order, it's practically guaranteed to get you in the mood for love.

Rabot 1745
2-4 Bedale St, London SE1 9AA

Photo: Via @lucyg65

Have yourself a cultural Christmas

Tate Britain

Great art brings out great passion, but pushing through tourists just to catch a glimpse of the latest blockbuster exhibition is less of an aphrodisiac. Get away from the crowds and allow yourself a leisurely stroll around more than 500 years of British art at the original Tate gallery. See the light in a Turner sunset or slouch next to Tracey Emin's unmade bed. Whatever your artistic taste, you're sure to find something to please.

This December the art isn't just inside, though. Tate Britain has teamed up with esteemed artist Alan Kane to turn their exterior into a festive, neon spectacular. Light up your date with a good view of this installation, then wander through centuries of British art. Fortunately, it's all completely free.

Tate Britain
Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

Gift them a date they'll never forget

St Martin's Lane Hotel

If you're really looking to spoil your SO this year, give them something that can't be wrapped up in a bow; treat them to the best date they've ever had at St Martin's Lane Hotel. Book a room this December and make the fabulously chic Covent Garden boutique hotel your playground.

If you want to go all in, we suggest you kick off your stay by working up a sweat with your SO, seeing the festive lights of London on one of St Martin's Lane's complimentary bicycles. Once you're done you'll have earned the signature speakeasy tea from their subterranean jazz bar Blind Spot. From there you can move on up to the always buzzing Asia De Cuba, or get on your dancing shoes and hit the West End. Make sure you get your beauty sleep, though, as St Martin's Lane offers one of the best bottomless brunches in the capital for you to indulge in the next day. 'Tis the season after all.

Of course, your version of a perfect date might just be snuggling up in your room and ordering enough room service to make Kevin McCallister jealous. To be honest, that sounds pretty great too.

St Martin's Lane Hotel
45 St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4HX

Get merry (and bright)

69 Colebrooke Row

In December, drinks are plentiful but if you prefer yours shaken, stirred and served in a martini glass rather than in a plastic cup at the office party, then it's important you find someone who shares your passion. If you can tell the brand of gin from the first sip of your Tom Collins and exactly how many drops of bitters are in your Old Fashioned, then you need to take your date to 69 Colebrooke Row.

Complete with red leather seats, white-jacketed bartenders and even a piano, this is the kind of cocktail bar a connoisseur dreams of. Treat your date to a Rose Bellini or a Silver Neon Flower, which is served straight from the bottle. This month you and your other half can even indulge in a Holiday Cocktail Masterclass and bring your new cocktail skills home with you.

69 Colebrooke Row
69 Colebrooke Row, London N1 8AA

Photo: Via @69colebrookerow

Be a big kid

Drink, Shop, Do

Just because dating is an adult activity doesn't mean you have to always act like a grown-up, and the festive season is the perfect time to indulge in some childhood fun. Drink, Shop, Do offers an ever-changing calendar of events to bring out you and your date's creativity, through free crafting workshops, dance classes and festive food.

From decoration-making to papier-mâché Christmas puddings, this bar and café lets you and your date play like the big kids that you are. Their signature cocktails and range of craft beers might just remind you to act your age (or not). If the "do" section of the date goes well, it doesn't have to end. You can head downstairs to their dance floor to groove it out to their eclectic DJ lineup.

Drink Shop Do
9 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX

Photo: @peekaboooblog

Have a romantic goodbye

Granary Square Brasserie

If you're heading out of London for the holidays and leaving your loved one behind, there's still one place you can go for a date before you dash to the train. The newly launched Granary Square Brasserie is perfect for a little last-minute romance or a long, lingering lunch.

Situated a short stroll away from St Pancras train station, this velvet-drenched restaurant feels secluded and cosy – perfect for a date. We recommend a cranberry cocktail to get you and your SO in the holiday spirit.

Granary Square Brasserie
1-3 Stable Street, King’s Cross, London, N1C 4AB
020 3940 1000

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Drop Everything: Reformation Is Having An End-Of-Year Sale

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It's the most wonderful time of the year. And we're not just talking about Duane Reade playing holiday tunes and the sidewalks being lined in Christmas trees. Sure, 'tis the season for shopping for gifts for those we love, but we say it's all about self -love, too. And just in time for some self-gifting, Reformation is having its annual end-of-year sale, which means some of those plunge dresses and midi skirts you've been eyeing all year long are now marked up to 50% off.

That's right: The kingdom of all things sexy and effortless typically has only two sales per year (at the end of the summer and at the end of the year), so if you slept on the summers-end blow-out, now's the time to scoop up a few pieces on healthy discount. In the clearance section, you can expect everything from the label's famous wrap dresses and wide-leg pants to shorts, tie-front blouses, and linen staples, many of which are already selling out. The pieces may not be the most seasonally appropriate (especially if you live somewhere with snow currently on the ground), but there's nothing wrong with stocking up now for future warm weather — or for a much-anticipated winter getaway.

Click ahead to shop our picks from the sale, but fair warning: We wouldn't think twice about pressing 'buy,' because someone else will undoubtedly swoop right in and scoop things up.

Reformation Maria Dress Opal, £186.04 £130.52, available at Reformation.

Reformation Rosella Dress, £111.02 £78, available at Reformation.

Reformation Camellia Jumpsuit, £186 £93, available at Reformation.s

Reformation Chemise Dress Garnet, £186.01 £93, available at Reformation.

Reformation Lexy Skirt Black, £178.51 £125.27, available at Reformation.

Reformation Carter Top Camel, £96.02 £57.76, available at Reformation.

Reformation Cam Dress Bea, £186.03 £130.52, available at Reformation.

Reformation Wilde Skirt Windflower, £103.51 £51.76, available at Reformation.

Reformation Iris Dress Royal, £208.54 £146.28, available at Reformation.

Reformation France Jumpsuit Regalia, £163.56 £98.28, available at Reformation.

Reformation Patti Jumpsuit, £186.07 £130.55, available at Reformation.

Reformation Rio Dress, £96.02 £48.01, available at Reformation.

Reformation Tatiana Dress au Lait, £148.53 £104.27, available at Reformation.

Reformation Norwood Jumpsuit, £163.54 £98.27, available at Reformation.

Reformation Veronica Skirt, £133.53 £93.77, available at Reformation.

Reformation Renee Dress, £163.56 £114.79, available at Reformation.

Reformation Fifi Skirt, £73.53 £51.77 available at Reformation.

Reformation Acai Dress, £133.55 £80.28, available at Reformation.

Reformation Jocelyn Jumpsuit, £163.56 £114.79, available at Reformation.

Reformation Casablanca Top, £96.02 £67.51, available at Reformation.

Reformation Lily Dress, £96.02 £67.51, available at Reformation.

Reformation Darcy Jumpsuit, £185.98 £130.49, available at Reformation.

Reformation Step Short, £73.48 £51.74, available at Reformation.

Reformation Daniela Skirt, £73.48 £51.74, available at Reformation.

Reformation Sorrenti Pant, £133.49 £93.74, available at Reformation.

Reformation Pepper Dress Black, £148.49 £104.22, available at Reformation.

Reformation Addy Dress, £163.45 £98.22, available at Reformation.

Reformation Ibiza Dress, £110.98 £55.49, available at Reformation.

Reformation Afternoon Dress, £148.47 £104.23, available at Reformation.

Reformation Lucilia Dress, £148.46 £104.22, available at Reformation.

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28 Party Dresses To Wear Now Through To New Year's Eve

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Your diary is filling up, you're prepping your playlist, you're armed with all the Fenty Beauty shimmer you'll ever need: party season is upon us. Amid the red-cheeked merriment, mince pies and Mariah Carey, party season means party dressing. How are designers putting on the party this season?

Alexa Chung hosted a magical starry night-themed bash, with silver dresses with sweetheart necklines taking us back to our prom night. Molly Goddard dressed models in her signature frothy pieces, with tea party-style dresses getting a touch of sequins. Speaking of sequins, king of glitter Ashish delivered the most mood-lifting of parties, with positive slogans on rainbow-striped dresses that shimmered and sparkled. Saint Laurent's party was hard-edged and high-shine, with ruched vinyl dresses matching slouch boots.

Whether you're gearing up for full-scale sparkle, going for sumptuous fabrics like velvet and tulle, or ready to clash your maximalist prints, we've found the best party dresses to wear from the office Christmas 'do through to New Year's Eve. Click through to see our pick of the party dresses, from high street to designer.

We're layering this luscious black slip over a sparkly roll neck.

Holzweiler Gerda Dress, £180, available at Holzweiler

If you're going to go for it, go all out: this Zara red leopard-print sequin shift ticks all boxes.

Zara Printed Sequinned Dress, £49.99, available at Zara

Whistles serves up a classic. Add rhinestone earrings and a velvet box bag.

Whistles Satin Pleated Dress, £169, available at Whistles

This satin number works as well on the dance floor as at the bar of a cocktail spot.

Ghost Lucy Dress, £75, available at Ghost.

This minimal Kitri dress is divine: that sash detail adds some oomph.

Kitri Sarah Arm Sash Dress, £125, available at Kitri

Rainbow? Check. Star-spangled? Check. Pleated? Check. Well done, Warehouse.

Warehouse Rainbow Pleated Midi Dress, £65, available at Warehouse

This blue velvet number will see us from party dressing through to spring. We love it styled with red Mary Janes.

Alexa Chung Flute Sleeve Dress, £410, available at Alexachung

This showstopper calls for statement earrings and killer heels.

Uterqüe Open Back Long Dress, £150, available at Uterqüe

If you're more reserved in your dressing, Shrimps are producing some of the sweetest Victoriana pieces right now.

Shrimps Lancelot Doodle-Embroidered Organza Dress, £940, available at Matches Fashion

This New Look velvet dress looks more expensive than its price, and will work just as well on the dance floor as with boots under your favourite coat.

New Look Velvet Devore Mini Dress, £29.99, available at ASOS

The Vampire's Wife is our hero brand this season. This ladylike shape comes in all fabrics and colourways, but this frosted sequin number was made for party season.

The Vampire's Wife Festival Ruffle-Trimmed Silk-Blend Lamé Dress, £1,395, available at Matches Fashion

We definitely owned this back in 2001, and we're very pleased with its return.

Topshop Cowl Metallic Slip Bodycon Dress, £32, available at Topshop

You'll float through the party in French Connection's frothy tulle piece.

French Connection Luna Sparkle One Shoulder Flared Dress, £195, available at French Connection

This shade is gorgeous; team with purple accessories.

ASOS Curve Crepe Wrap Front Bardot Midi Dress, £40, available at ASOS

The '80s are back this season, and bringing Madonna-inspired cuts.

Emilio De La Morena Off-The-Shoulder Velvet Dress, £798, available at Matches Fashion

Chinoiserie has inspired brands from Rixo to H&M this year.

H&M Patterned Dress, £39.99, available at H&M

This UO dress was made for dance floors.

Urban Outfitters Pins & Needles Moonbeam Metallic Slip Dress, £46, available at Urban Outfitters

The sharp shoulders, dipped hem and crushed velvet take this leopard-print dress from everyday to wear-all-night.

Isabel Marant Ulia Leopard-Print Velvet Dress, £770, available at Matches Fashion

M&S's luna-inspired dresses have sold out twice online. Nab this before it goes again.

Marks & Spencer Printed Mesh Flared Sleeve Midi Dress, £49.50, available at Marks & Spencer

If dressing up isn't your thing but you want to break from your year-round attire this party season, a sweet kicky floral dress will do the trick.

Saloni Celia Floral-Print Cady Dress, £450, available at Matches Fashion

Let this statement piece do all the talking by paring with minimal accessories and a nude lip.

& Other Stories Gold Wrap Dress, £110, available at Stories

Layer over kick-flare jeans by day, wear alone with heavy metal accessories by night.

Reformation Gillian Crimson Dress, £188, available at Reformation

We couldn't do party wear without a nod to Ashish. Just look at those sequins.

Ashish Striped Sequinned Silk-Georgette Dress, £1,620, available at Net-A-Porter

Rag & Bone Victor Dress, £455, available at Rag & Bone

Embrace lace in this emerald green piece to take you from desk to dance floor.

Lindex Green And Black Lace Dress, £59.99, available at Lindex

Asymmetric shoulders are here to stay – this simple Mango dress packs a punch.

Mango Asymmetrical Satin Dress, £49.99, available at Mango

Be the princess of the party in Ganni's street-style hit.

Ganni Seneca Silk Midi Dress, £475, available at Net-A-Porter

Chainmail is here to stay - this dress screams 2000, which is no bad thing.

Topshop Cowl Neck Glitter Slip Dress, £32.00, available at Topshop.

Rainbow stripes are the most uplifting AW17 trend, so why wouldn't you take it further with maxed-out sparkle?

Miss Selfridge Premium Ombre Flute Sleeve Sequin Dress, £99, available at Miss Selfridge

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How The Fashion Set Retain Their Personal Style During Pregnancy

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Fashion is a form of self-expression and can allow you to more confidently present your personal identity. But how do you maintain that extension of yourself when becoming a mother? For most, it's a dramatic transformation of both your life and your body, leaving little money or time to focus on yourself, let alone the clothes you wear.

With a number of the fashion set announcing pregnancies over the past year or so – from Susie Lau to Leandra Medine – we asked a few of our favourite dressers how they've tackled maternity style and how they're staying true to themselves while life throws bigger priorities their way.

Trine Kjær has been running one of Denmark's most popular style sites since 2008. Her way with bold colours and a statement sneaker has captured the attention of her 103k Instagram followers. For her, the trickiest part was the first trimester. "I found it pretty difficult to get dressed in the beginning of my pregnancy. We kept it secret for the first four months, and trying to dress like normal while feeling really bloated was extremely hard," she explains. "I remember I felt so relieved the second we announced the pregnancy, then I didn’t have to hide the little bump anymore, and it was time to figure out how I wanted to dress as a pregnant woman."

Katherine Ormerod, founder of Work Work Work, an anti-perfectionism site that looks behind the superficial veil of social media, agrees. "I think at the beginning it’s hard, because you're really trying to hide your bump. I think that's the toughest time because you might be in work environments where you want to keep it under your hat for a while, or you just don't want to say anything before your 12-week scan. Your body is changing and it's not like you're going to be showing off your new figure, so you just have to pretend that it isn't changing. I found that the hardest time."

A post shared by Trine Kjær (@trineswardrobe) on

Once the announcement has been made, women are faced with figuring out exactly how to dress for the next six or so months. For writer Pandora Sykes, being fashion-conscious is taking a back seat. “[Being pregnant brings] a very different personal style. It’s a lot of skinny trousers with oversized shirts or big jumpers, bodycon dresses and stretch skirts. I maintain my personal style from before with great coats and big earrings, but otherwise it’s changed a lot as my body is so different and I don’t want to spend a lot of money or energy on my style!”

Spending huge amounts on clothes with a lifespan of nine months wasn’t for Trine, either. "The first thing I decided was that I didn’t want to spend much money on maternity clothes," Trine tells Refinery29. "It seems like a waste of money and also unsustainable to invest in a whole new maternity wardrobe that I wouldn’t use as soon as my baby was born." Instead? Edit. "I took a close look at my wardrobe. Everything oversize and without a waist I kept in my closet and the rest I put away. That made me realise that I actually had a lot of items that I was able to wear even though I was pregnant. Shirts, track pants, knits and a lot of my dresses. I bought a couple of new and pretty bras since my breasts got bigger, and nice underwear always makes me feel more confident. The fact that I still wore regular clothes made me feel way more like myself."

While to well-meaning outsiders the bump is the focus, the women themselves are experiencing a whole host of other changes to their bodies, from bums to calves via boobs and feet. “A mind-blank moment for me was when I got really big bosoms,” Katherine says. “I went from a 32B to a 34E in about four months. A lot of the way I dressed involved deep V-necks and polo necks, which are really chic when you’ve got nothing, but can become quite X-rated with a huge cleavage. Either you wear something that’s unsuitable for a professional environment, or you try and cover it up completely, which can look frumpy. Learning to dress the boobs has been the biggest challenge for me.” As Katherine’s signature style is feminine, with casual florals and dresses a big part of her everyday wardrobe, wearing something bump-suitable – “like a pair of maternity jeans with an oversized shirt and flat shoes” – feels unusual. “I'd feel like I was wearing someone else's wardrobe,” she says.

The problem with maternity dressing, and perhaps part of the reason the market isn’t really catered for by fashion brands, is that no one body changes in the same way. Two 5”6, size 14 women won’t see the same body part getting bigger, and one bump may sit lower than the other’s. One person’s calves might expand, requiring bigger knee-high boots, while someone else may need empire lines on dresses to sit higher. With this in mind, brands tend to offer elasticated waists and not much else. So with your body changing throughout your pregnancy – and in ways you wouldn’t have predicted – how do you keep your personal style during the transition?

“I just sized up,” Pandora says. “I’ve worn a lot of H&M, Joseph, and Raey, plus Topshop Maternity jeans. I can’t really do heels now, so I’ve relied heavily on my Golden Goose trainers and Maje studded Derby brogues.” Trine relied on Danish brand Ganni. “I was living in mesh maxi dresses – they work perfectly for every occasion. At work I wore them with a knit and sneakers and for a night out I paired them with mules and red lips.” “I think it’s about responding to your body and keep trying!” Katherine advises. “Just try on everything, even outside of maternity lines, and find what works. I have a few dresses that have fit all the way through my pregnancy, but you wouldn’t have guessed that they would before trying them on.” Her hero piece? A black turtleneck midi dress from Isabella Oliver. “That was an ‘Aha!’ moment. It’s a blank canvas – it looks like a tube skirt if you layer a knit over the top, you can throw an oversized denim jacket over it, wear it with biker boots or with heels for the evening. If you find layers that cover your body in a way you’re happy with, you can layer the rest.”

What do these women think could change in order for pregnant women and mothers to feel more powerful in their fashion choices? “In general, women are too hard on themselves,” Trine states. “I would lie if I didn’t admit that it took some time getting used to my new pregnant body – especially before the bump really popped out – but instead of focusing on my extra pounds, I tried to focus on the good stuff. Like the fact that I felt more womanly with my bigger breasts and that I would never have to suck in my stomach if I wore a tight dress!” Media representation was also key for her. “I would love to see more editorials in fashion magazines with pregnant women. I did a mood board on Pinterest with pictures of cool pregnant women like Blake Lively and Natalia Vodianova, and that gave me a lot of inspiration fashion-wise. I think that social media can help change the way pregnant women feel about themselves, too – following cool pregnant women on Instagram was really inspiring to me.”

Trine, having had her daughter now, is back to wearing the bright colours and statement patterns that drew her social following in. “I’m anticipating going back to my personal style of before,” Pandora says. “I can’t wait!” Katherine doesn’t see it changing much, either. “I can't imagine that I’ll suddenly be toning anything down,” she states. “I think style confidence is so important, but from what I gather from friends, for those first six months so much of that stuff is tied up with how you feel about your body. So basically, watch this space – I'm not putting any pressure on myself to be at my fabulous fashion peak in the next few months!” While practicality is surely at the forefront for a while – like dresses that are suitable for nursing – Trine highlights the importance of fashion as self-expression for her: “I love my new identity as a mum but I still want to be Trine, and fashion is an important way for me to express myself and for me to feel like myself.”

While wanting to feel, and thus dress, like yourself while pregnant is vital to many women, the most important approach is to go easy on yourself and embrace the changes. Nail the basics that make you feel comfortable and make room for flashes of your personal style – from statement earrings to signature prints. It’s society’s job to avoid setting standards for pregnant women and new mothers, aesthetic or otherwise.

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This Hair Colour Will Be Everywhere Next Year, Say Stylists

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We're braver and bolder with our hair colour than ever before, seasonally experimenting with navy blues, bubblegum pinks, and sunset oranges. Where bright colours and daring shades were once the preserve of underground subcultures, now you'd be hard-pressed to walk down a London high street without seeing a flash of colourful tresses.

According to the 2017 L’Oréal Professionnel Survey, a quarter of women said they were now more likely to try a bold or pastel hair colour than they were a year ago – an indication of how much has changed in our approach to hair.

Always on the lookout for the next way to refresh our locks, whether that means updating our balayage for autumn or trying a new colour technique, we're naturally looking ahead to the trends that will define hair colour in 2018.

Jack Howard, a resident mega stylist at Knightsbridge salon Paul Edmonds, tells us the future is metallics, both silver and gold. "We're beginning to see a huge increase in guests asking for metallic-inspired colour in the salon. I think that this is partly due to the transition of the trend from glossy finishes to metallic on the catwalk," he explains. "We’ve also seen the metallic element continued into makeup looks."

While you may be dazzled by the beauty industry's offering of shimmering, iridescent makeup this season, one scroll through Instagram – where #SilverHair has over one million posts and counting – proves that the high-shine effect has reached our hair, too.

Think metallics sound a little out there? Just like the makeup we're wearing, this trend is super wearable. "What's the point in developing a colour if it's not going to be used in salon? It's not going to have a relevance," Josh Wood, premier colourist and celebrity stylist, says. "I think that's one way hair colour is becoming a lot more like makeup. You're able to dial your colour up or down, be one colour for a night or another for a couple of weeks."

Josh, too, is touting metallic hair for 2018. Launching six new Shades EQ colours with global haircare giant Redken, he reveals a polished silver and a medium grey steel. "I'm working with people who are celebrating their natural grey, but at the same time, 20-year-olds are coming into the salon wanting to be bleached with grey applied on top," he explains. "Before, grey was never a colour – it was either a background or an accent. I love the idea that you can create a multi-tone of greys, with different hues. We're getting more sophisticated with it."

It's brilliant for every age, but every hair type? Jack, who developed L'Oréal Professionnel's Metals by Majirel permanent hair colour collection, an in-salon service that promises transformative shine, assures us it's for all hair types and textures: "It's important to have a thorough consultation with your colourist before your appointment to determine your desired shade and the journey that you may need to take in order to get to the final look."

If all-out silver sounds too bold a first step, the Majirel Metals can actually be used as a glaze to add shine to existing colour, too. The hyper-reflective gloss can add a metallic impact to copper, brunette and blonde hair that lasts for up to four weeks, or up to six if used as an all-over silver. It looks like shimmer's here to stay, folks. Shine on you crazy diamond.

L'Oréal Professionnel's 'The Metals' by Majirel Colour Collection is available in salons now. Redken's Shades EQ colours will be available in salons from January.

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An Azzedine Alaïa Exhibition Is Opening In London Next Spring

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Last month, the fashion world was rocked when news broke of the passing of legendary designer Azzedine Alaïa. Tributes poured out from editors, designers and supermodels alike, and at the Fashion Awards last week, Naomi Campbell, who referred to Alaïa as "Papa", took to the stage alongside a group of other models, to honour the late, great fashion icon. In a touching speech, the supermodel spoke about his impact on both the industry and her personally: "He was the most generous, kind, compassionate and humble man I have ever known, with a mischievous sense of humour in the glint of his eye, and he filled my life – and the lives of the women on this stage, and all of you in the room who met him – with light and joy. I moved into his home at 16 and he opened my eyes to the world: to artists, art and design, architecture, French and Tunisian culture. How blessed was I to have Papa show me these different worlds?... Azzedine was a protector, a teacher, a seeker and defender of all that is good and positive in this world. I am proud to be honouring, along with his daughters, a giant of fashion and a true master of humanity.”

Following on from Campbell's touching tribute last week, yesterday it was revealed that the Design Museum in London will honour the iconic couturier's career, creative process and legacy with a forthcoming exhibition, to open in May 2018. The exhibition, which will run until October 2018, has been in development for the past year and will go ahead as planned despite the designer’s untimely passing at the age of 82 on 18th November 2017.

Courtesy of The Design Museum.

Azzedine Alaïa was recognised throughout his life as a master couturier who captured the timeless beauty of the female silhouette in the most refined degree of haute couture. His exquisite form-fitting creations were worn by everyone from Grace Jones and Madonna to Clueless 's Cher, Michelle Obama, Rihanna and Victoria Beckham. This unique exhibition, overseen by Alaïa himself, will explore his passion and energy for design, as he intended it to be seen.

Celebrated for his mastery of cut, fit and tailoring, of innovative forms and materials, Alaïa designed by draping and working directly around the human frame. He also painstakingly cut all his own patterns, which was virtually unheard of in the increasingly depersonalised world of large luxury fashion houses. Well-known for being a perfectionist, Azzedine Alaïa would work on a single creation for many years if necessary before unveiling it to the public.

The must-see exhibition will present more than 60 breathtaking examples of Alaïa’s craft from his archive, spanning the past 35 years, selected personally by Alaïa and guest curator Mark Wilson. As one of the most important fashion figures of the past century and based on the overwhelming adoration for Alaïa as both a designer and a friend, we're anticipating this exhibition will be an instant sellout. Put it in your diaries now.

Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier will open from 10th May 2018 until 7th October 2018.

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The Major Change To Your Wine Glass You Never Even Noticed

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Is yours a small, medium or large? We're talking wine here people, and the answer in 2017 is most likely to be extra large because our wine glasses are getting bigger – a lot bigger.

According to research published in the British Medical Journal, over the past 300 years the size of wine glasses in England has increased dramatically. In fact, they are more than six times larger than those our ancestors used.

The study, which is the first of its kind, took the measurements of 411 glasses from five sources (including retailers eBay and John Lewis) and found that they have grown from a measly 70ml in 1700 to a very generous 450ml in 2017. That's a sevenfold increase in capacity.

These stats are particularly relevant to women. Among female 'binge drinkers' (that’s those of us who exceed six units on our heaviest drinking day – which equates to three pints of normal-strength beer or two large glasses of wine), the most popular choice of tipple is wine, with three in four women choosing it over beer, the most popular choice for men.

The brains behind the study, Professor Theresa Marteau and her colleagues investigated why our wine glasses have ballooned in size – and it doesn’t just come down to greed.

Increases over time are due to price, technology, societal wealth, and wine appreciation. Two particular changes during the 20th century probably helped to increase glass sizes further.

Wine glasses in England in 2017 are more than six times bigger than in 1700

Firstly, wine glasses started to be tailored in shape and size for different wine varieties (hence those gigantic red wine glasses we all love so much). Then the people running bars and restaurants, as well as their customers, had an effect too. Wine sales increased when sold in larger glasses, incentivising pubs and clubs to use them more.

Larger wine glasses can also increase the pleasure from drinking wine, which may in turn increase the desire to drink more, but you didn’t need the BMJ to tell you that, did you?

Something else to bear in mind when you are getting a round in over the coming weeks: The strength of wine sold in the United Kingdom since the 1990s has increased too, so the amount of pure alcohol that wine drinkers consume has likely risen in line with larger glasses.

If all of this has you worried about your drinking over Christmas and New Year then there are lots of ways to help rein it in.

There’s a ton of useful info and help from Drink Aware, and Drink Coach has an easy-to-use (free) app which you can download here.

And don’t forget your friend water, also free.

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Everything You Need To Know About Buying Coloured Gemstones

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While Christmas is the most popular time of year for engagements, you needn't be expecting a diamond sparkler to experience the thrill of unwrapping a piece of jewellery you’ll cherish forever. In fact, in recent years fine jewellery has become as much of a must-have fashion accessory as the latest 'It' handbag (not to mention lasting a whole lot longer).

From stacking rings to statement earrings, more and more designers are creating contemporary fine jewellery that appeals to a younger generation and complements our everyday wardrobes. And like our fashion choices, we’re becoming more daring in terms of colour and scale.

Add in the increased availability of coloured gemstones on the market, thanks to technical advancements and deposits of emeralds discovered in Zambia and rubies in Mozambique, and our jewellery boxes have the potential to be far more colourful than our mothers’ or grandmothers’ ever were.

Those mines are both owned by Gemfields, the world’s leading supplier of coloured gemstones. It produces 25% of the world’s emeralds and 70% of the world’s rubies. By investing in the mines and controlling the entire process, from sourcing the stones to selling rough gems to the market, the company ensures that every Gemfields emerald and ruby is produced according to their strict business, social and environmental standards. Not only are they beautiful, they’re also responsibly sourced.

But choosing the right stone is by no means straightforward. Before you invest – whether treating yourself or someone else – we spoke to the experts at Gemfields to find out everything you need to know about buying coloured gemstones.

Rubies are red and emeralds are green. But that’s not the whole story. Coloured gemstones come in an endless array of shades, and finding the one that’s right for you is a personal decision. “Rubies vary in colour from a raspberry hue to something more like classic Ferrari red, and different people are drawn towards different shades depending on their skin tone, hair colour and personality,” says Elena Basaglia, downstream manager at Gemfields.

Unlike diamonds, which are graded on a scale of D to Z (D being ‘colourless’, Z being almost yellow), rating coloured gemstones is a more subjective task. “People perceive colour differently: two people looking at the same ruby would see it as different shades of red. It’s a very personal choice,” says Basaglia.

Instead, each stone is given a description according to its primary and secondary colour. Rubies vary from purplish-red to orangey-red, while emeralds range from yellowish to blueish-green – and all shades and combinations in between. The colour can give a clue as to where the stone comes from. “Generally speaking Colombian emeralds have a shade like mint leaves, while Zambian emeralds appear more like a rich, blueish green,” explains Basaglia.

The colour and country of origin can both affect the price. Traditionally, Colombian emeralds are seen as the most desirable, and are therefore the most expensive. Pure red rubies, a shade known as 'pigeon’s blood', have long been considered the most prestigious and therefore the most valuable. They were thought to be found only in Myanmar but, as always with coloured gemstones, the reality is a bit more complicated.

“Myanmar was always held up as the ‘holy grail’ of ruby origin, but since the deposit has been found in Mozambique we’ve discovered every single shade and quality of ruby there – including pigeon’s blood,” says Anna Flower, head of PR for Gemfields.

The lesson is not to get too caught up in a gemstone’s country of origin but instead find the shade that works best for you. Try jewellery on, hold a stone against your skin, look at it in different types of light (it’s amazing how the colour of a gemstone can change appearance between natural and artificial light ) and, ultimately, choose the one that best suits you.

created by Rosanna Webster.

“Whatever you know about diamonds, forget it – because for coloured gemstones it’s the exact opposite,” says Basaglia. While in the diamond world a lack of colour is covetable, for coloured gems it’s intensity of colour that matters. And while diamonds are prized for a lack of inclusions (tiny imperfections caused by heat and pressure over millions of years beneath the Earth’s surface), inclusions are what give coloured gemstones their character.

“Don’t associate inclusions with negative connotations,” advises Basaglia. “Even if a gemstone has inclusions you can still fall in love with it.” The inclusions found within emeralds are even known as ‘jardins’, meaning ‘gardens’ in French – an indication of the romance found within these characteristics.

While being beautifully unique, inclusions can also have a downside: they can make a stone more brittle. So emeralds for example, will often be treated with oil, which helps to reduce these imperfections and strengthen the stone. This type of treatment – along with heating a ruby to increase (or decrease) the intensity of its colour – is commonplace and has been accepted for centuries.

“In the diamond industry, treating a stone to improve colour or clarity can be frowned upon, but in the coloured gemstone industry it’s quite accepted,” says Flower. “Looking only for an untreated stone will mean your budget can spiral out of control: buying a treated gemstone is absolutely fine, as long as the treatment has been disclosed to the buyer.”

created by Rosanna Webster.

As well as knowing how your gemstone has been treated, it’s also imperative that you know where it comes from. “Not only should you wear coloured gemstone jewellery because it looks good, you should also be proud to wear it because you know exactly where the stones come from,” says Flower.

The coloured gemstone industry is relatively underdeveloped in comparison to the diamond industry, which has been under pressure to clean up its act thanks to publicity around ‘blood diamonds’. In contrast, coloured gemstone production has traditionally relied on small-scale, artisanal producers – whose ethical credentials are difficult to trace.

Gemfields has radically changed this, by ensuring that every stone that bears its name is responsibly sourced, and every step in the journey from mine to market can be traced. Every Gemfields ruby comes from the Montepuez mine in Mozambique and every Gemfields emerald comes from the Kagem mine in Zambia. Each of these mines is assessed to ensure it meets strict environmental and sustainable standards.

“To mine gemstones you need to dig, and we go about that in a way that has the smallest possible impact on the environment,” explains Flower, adding that as well as funding new schools and health centres in mining areas, Gemfields works with local communities to develop agricultural projects to ensure that they have a livelihood that enriches the area even after the mines are gone. “That is a responsible way of producing coloured gemstones and it’s one we’re very proud of,” she says.

created by Rosanna Webster.

Yet another way in which coloured gemstones differ from diamonds is that there is no internationally recognised benchmark for how much a stone should cost. Pricing, therefore, is a bit of a ‘dark art’ – but don’t let that put you off.

“There is so much mystery around coloured gemstones that people think they must be extremely expensive, but they’re not,” says Basaglia. “Don’t be afraid of going into a shop and asking to try on a piece of ruby or emerald jewellery – you might be surprised, it might not cost as much as you think and you'll likely be able to find something within your price range.”

While Gemfields rubies and emeralds are used as the centrepieces in extremely valuable, one-of-a-kind designs from the world’s most prestigious jewellery houses, they are also used by contemporary, up-and-coming designers, who use smaller stones with interesting features to create more affordable pieces you can wear every day. And actually, when you look beyond traditionally desirable coloured gemstones, there are bargains to be found.

“If you move outside the traditional criteria – say Colombian emeralds, Burmese pigeon blood rubies or untreated stones – and broaden your mind, then you can absolutely find a great quality, fairly large stone for a very affordable price,” says Flower.

Far more important than where a stone comes from or what the laboratory report says is whether or not it speaks to you. “Gemstone buyers are as picky as a woman choosing a pair of shoes, so have faith that if you see a stone in a jewellery shop then it is there for a reason – because it’s beautiful,” says Basaglia. “So follow your instincts.”

There are certain practical considerations to take into account. Emeralds are more fragile than other gemstones, so are more suited to necklaces or earrings than rings or bracelets, where they’re at greater risk of being damaged. And due to their fragility, they’re more likely to be set in gold rather than platinum, as it’s more malleable and less likely to damage the stone. But beyond that, the choice is entirely yours.

“To me, it’s important that jewellery is worn, not kept in a box,” says Flower. “So buy something that resonates. I’ve seen countless gemstones and my favourites aren’t always the most expensive, but the ones that have spoken to me. It’s important to have that gut reaction and buy something that you’ll be proud to own and wear.”

created by Rosanna Webster.

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Need Some Honest Girl Time? This Podcast Is For You

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Nobody ever told me how much work and time it takes to make a real podcast. A great podcast. One that's truly worth the time you might otherwise spend, say, watching Smilf or Better Things (which I highly recommend). Like you, I've been listening to podcasts for years, and count one Terry Gross as my unofficial radio coach and model interviewer. But here's the truth: Podcasts aren't just a mic and a chat — they are tiny works of art. Which is exactly how we look at each episode of UnStyled.

After months of prep — behind the scenes and in the studio — we launched Season 2 of Refinery29's second podcast in early October. With guests like Gabrielle Union, Miranda Kerr, model icon Bethann Hardison, and feminist hero Naomi Wolf, the stakes were HIGH to get it right and make it GOOD. But in the end, the time we take to research each guest and find just the right theme to help tell their most important stories of the moment makes all the difference. And honestly, I think it's why so many listeners take the time to leave powerful reviews or send me heartfelt messages of how much a discussion about Stacy London 's year of starting over or Miranda Kerr's recovery from depression made them feel less alone, and more connected.

To me, that's the whole point of UnStyled: To show us all how our experiences as women and how we move through the world informs our identities, our dreams, our fears, and, ultimately, our style.

As of today, there's only two episodes of Season 2 left: This week's, which debuted with InStyle editor-in-chief Laura Brown, and next week's episode, my season finale, with actor-activist Sophia Bush. While we talk about serious issues that impact every single one of us at certain points in our lives — fertility, breakups, dream jobs, and the constant struggle to understand our purpose in the world, famous or not! — what stands out most in each episode is this need to connect...the unmistakeable magic when women speak and listen to one another.

So, the countdown is officially ON. If you haven't already caught up with Season 2 of UnStyled, it's time for a binge. I might be a little biased, but I think it's more than worth it. And I'm ever grateful to you-all you beautiful listeners and supporters—for making this season what it is: a celebration of women being unique, powerful, and forever claiming their destiny.

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