SKIMS WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT? As 12,000 sq foot store on Regent St Opens Summer 2026

Before you follow the crowds and rush to the grand opening check how much stock new with tags is...

Jenny Smith

2026-07-18T09:47:00.0000000 2026-07-18T12:18:32.7870000

For a long time now I have been reluctant to buy into the Kardashian empire in any way. I never really watched the reality show that catapulted the family to super stardom status nor did I buy into Kylie’s make up empire that put her on the cover of Forbes magazine as a young billionaire (even though at the time she actually wasn’t according the Vanity Fair last month, as they also put the now 28 year old it girl entrepreneur on the cover) the power of marketing and media.

They just seemed like tacky girls from the Valley to me. For all their media profile. Husbands, boyfriends, kids by different people, drugs, domestic violence, criminal activity, robberies, shallowness, plastic surgery and a lot of money. I didn’t really get the appeal.

I guess I consciously avoided.

They are everywhere. Even City AM was reporting on £150M legal bill a London law firm had been paid to negotiate the lease on a big new Skims store on Regent St in the old Ted Baker site.

I have also caught wind of an ongoing legal battle with Denise Cesare owner of a small NYC based fashion company, Fits Everybody, who alleges SKIMS despite warnings about rights to the “Fits Everybody” trademark, went ahead and used her brand name and concept with the Skims “Fits Everybody” collection claiming rights long before Kim Kardashian got hold of it and ran.

I have checked out the concession in Selfridges but for me £160 for a dress that feels more squash you in Spanx than quiet luxury loungewear I have resisted being tempted until now.

I do like a staple garment though, I am slim with a big natural bust so stretchy and figure hugging clothes suit my body and frame. And when I saw the skims dresses appearing over and over again up for resale, clearly the women who had bought into the SKIMS empire, were unloading I thought it was time to check out this clothing range on a budget.

I did ask myself the question why are so many people selling these clothes with tags without even wearing them once or twice.

I bought 8 dresses in total. All for under £30 and all bar one with the tags still on. I spent less that £200 on all eight, three of which had tags on for over £160 each.

I wanted to do a bit of an experiment, try a few of the same dresses in different sizes and colours to see if the garments actually lived up to all the hype and if so why there are now so many Skims body con items available in circulation with tags on. It did cross my mind if the secondhand market was flooded with dupes.

I am a size 10-12 and I purchased size S, M, and L. I bought three styles a knitted spaghetti strap dress with a vertical stripe in the knit I love retailed at £160. A more synthetic feeling ribbed dress with a low scoop neckline, which is very clingy and would be difficult to wear in anything except a lounging at home or beach setting over a bikini. I needed the L in this style. It was a very small tight cut and the fabric is not forgiving. Probably why the £80 dress is available in every size and colour on secondhand market places for anywhere from £15-£45. I paid £30 for mine, new with tags and complete with a Selfridges dust bag.

The other style I do love, I purchased secondhand in two colours black and pale blue, this time one L and one M, both work to be fair is the smooth knit modal cashmere, long sleeve body com dress. The ticket says this dress was £88 rrp. I paid £15 and £22 respectively.

The thing about these dresses and why so many are being unloaded is they are mostly either see through or very small and super clingy. So unless you have a near perfect figure or live at the beach and need a lot of bikini cover ups they only work for a handful of women.

If like me you fancied trying one but haven’t bought yet don’t waste money paying full retail price. You can pretty much find every style, colour, size, new with tags online for a fraction of the retail price.

I am not sure how long the phenomenon that is Skims will last with the lawsuits looming and fashion retail struggling across all sectors but for now there is a booming secondhand market for these products so not everyone fell in love.

If you are any bigger than a curvy size 14, unless very bold I’d say the Skims lines would be difficult to fit into.

I found the L ribbed synthetic dress very difficult to get on and off. The M in the smooth modal cashmere was better because the fabric is softer. The knitted spaghetti strap dresses, both the M and L fit me fine, couldn’t tell much of a difference. The small was too tight around the bust, 34E.

It’s interesting to see the collaboration between Dolce and Gabbana and Skims as this year the pair, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana split both romantically and professionally.

Stefano Gabbana stepped down as chairman of Dolce & Gabbana, though he remains with the company to lead its creative direction alongside co-founder and ex lover Domenico Dolce. As reported by Vogue and The Guardian his resignation from management and holding entities was effective as of January 1, 2026.

Dolce and Gabbana have struggled over recent years to make a profit, have lost creative direction as their off the wall designs went out of fashion with younger audiences and the debts mounted.

Their foray into real estate, DG Resort, and popping up taking over temporarily at luxurious beach clubs around the world in an attempt to diversify into the experiential club, bars and luxury shopping space, and then the random animal print Versace “esque” collaboration with Skims knocking out garments with eye watering prices around £500 does feel all over the place to me. Expansion into the high fashion beach club scene happened at the same time Valentino launched their RED concepts on the Amalfi Coast, which tells me these once over subscribed luxury exclusive spots must be struggling too.

Although the Dolce and Gabbana club interiors utilising the Majolica prints in signature blue, La Cabane, Marbella, Green in a new one close to Portofino, Italy, the immersive Mediterranean retreat Le Carillon and yellow in Cala di Volpe in Sardinia, are stunning, the £350 daily entry fee for a sun lounger and not much else I personally don’t see enduring, beyond the hype and gimmick.

I would imagine customers who can afford to pay £350 for beach club entry want something more exclusive and less accessible than a spot full of influencers marketing themselves on TIKTOK wearing SKIMS. And if you chose the leopard print for your beach club experience you are going to find yourself clashing with the umbrellas, that is unless you opt for the Clap House on the Island of Ibiza where the animal print has taken over too.

The Kilo Wine Bar in Quorn With A Few Tweaks Could Be So So Good

A tale of two halves where the prices and quality of the food and wine reflect great value but...

Florie Deva

2026-07-17T09:20:02.3130000 2026-07-17T10:10:59.5900000

I am going to start by saying the reason I like writing and reading reviews on here is because you get to give your honest opinion and share the truth about experiences, not just the fluff. We all like something different so you also get to build a picture of the reviewer by what they like and what they share. Makes every snoop and snooper way more credible in a world where trolls are just trashing people’s businesses online for kicks. I read this week it’s becoming a real problem especially for independents working really hard to deliver something amazing in a difficult market.

Which is why I want to tell you about my experience at Kilo Wine Bar in Quorn, somewhere I had read about on here and decided to try for the first time.

Have you ever been somewhere that was so good until it was so bad?

It was a Thursday afternoon, we fancied a cocktail, decent wine and cheese, maybe a salad, and had read about Kilo Wine Bar in Quorn. It seemed to have it all.

We didn’t complain, we couldn’t they were doing so many things right, this is a place packed with potential, established by someone who clearly cares about what they do, a lot of passion has gone into this place and the wine list is probably the best and most extensive I’ve seen, certainly in Leicestershire.

We started with drinks, a very well mixed martini, and great value we thought at £12.50, no alcohol free spirits on offer but they did have Estrella a delicious Spanish alcohol free beer.

The cheese plater we ordered was amazing, £19.95 beautifully presented and abundant with pickles, chutney, delicious tapenade, hummus, olives and served with a bread basket with a selection worthy of a Mediterranean bakery except no oil and vinegar to go with.

The beautiful lentil salad looked absolutely delicious but was missing salad dressing making it a little tasteless, not horrible, the ingredients were fresh and the combination well chosen, it was just a bit like having a roast lunch without gravy and would have been so much better with dressing.

The service was really good, attentive and friendly but the bruschetta came on buttered bread. I don’t think I’ve ever had bruschetta without garlic and olive oil. Fortunately the delicious bread in the bread basket could be substituted.

It wasn’t busy which wasn’t a problem for us but became a problem when the background music cut out half way through our meal wasn’t switched back on again and one other customer spent 30 minutes on a work call we and the only other table in the place didn’t want to listen to. They asked to be moved outside.

You realise hospitality is more than great food and wine when a place like Kilo Wine Bar which is fantastic in so many ways makes a few easily rectifiable minor on their own mistakes, which collectively add up to an experience that was on the one hand so good and yet on the other so bad.

Would I go back, definitely. Like I said the drinks, cheese platter, wine list and service was stand out. The “no atmosphere” was easily rectified by hitting play and the small mistakes with the food, again easy to put right with a bottle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

There was a great deal to like about this place, quite a rare find in Leicestershire if you like Mediterranean style bites, tapas, cheese and wine.

If you like the Wine Shed in Market Harborough it’s like that with a better food offering. They also offer a Wine Flight which sounded fun if you like to taste a few different wines, 6 75ml glasses for £60.

Kilo wine bar is open every day from 9am for coffee and pastries until late.

We parked outside off the High Street for free, for one hour. There’s a paid car park about a 3 minute walk away.

My Story In The Daily Mail : How I Lost My Fortune And Bounced Back

Here are some of my tips of how I recovered from homelessness after reaching rock bottom

Shirley Yanez

2026-07-16T06:18:00.0000000 2026-07-16T06:37:56.2730000

Author, life coach, fashion entrepreneur, even tech entrepreneur, yes, but I never imagined Journalist too. Never say never, I just got my first article published in The Daily Mail

I lost the fortune I worked for all my life overnight, my marriage fell apart and I was homeless. Then I got back on my feet in my 50s

By Shirley Yanez

Luxuriating in a marble bath in my suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel, I reflected on how far I’d come.

I grew up one of six children in a two-up, two-down house with a tin bath and an outside toilet on a council estate in Leicester. Back then, luxury was getting your turn in the bath before the water went cold.

But I’d worked my way out of poverty, getting a job in financial recruitment, eventually setting up my own headhunting firm and becoming a millionaire in my 40s.

Now here I was, sinking into expensively perfumed bubbles, enjoying the trappings of that success. I’d spent the day shopping on Rodeo Drive and my designer purchases – vintage Chanel jewellery, yet another Hermès handbag I’d paid thousands for, a Versace silk shirt and a Gucci dress that would join so many others I’d probably never get round to wearing – were strewn across the bed in the room next door.

After a short-lived marriage in my 30s, where I’d discovered I couldn’t have children, I’d recently married an American I’d known for just six weeks. Convinced I was starting an exciting new chapter, I had moved to Los Angeles to be with him.

Little did I realise that the bubble would burst on my exciting new life just three months later.

This was the year 2000. I’d sold my business in the UK and put all my cash – around half a million pounds – into the booming dotcom stock market, watching my portfolio climb to dizzying heights. At its zenith it was worth as much as £6million and I was renting a vast house overlooking Manhattan Beach, next door to Michelle Pfeiffer. I didn’t need to work in any conventional sense because my investments were working for me.

Then the dotcom bubble burst. The market crashed and within days the value of my investments collapsed to nothing. Almost overnight, the fortune I had built through years of hard work disappeared.

At the same time, my whirlwind marriage fell apart. Marty, who was five years younger than me, was very good-looking, a manual worker who drove a truck, with no wealth or status, which is exactly what appealed to me. I wanted someone from a background like my own; someone who wasn’t obsessed with money, who I could build a ‘real’ life with.

But as the money disappeared and I was forced to give up that amazing house for a small, rather grim one-bed flat far from the beach, Marty went the same way. I was left alone, wondering how I was going to keep a roof over my head.

I began selling off the life I’d built, piece by piece. Over the next five years everything of value I’d had shipped over from the UK went: my artwork, jewellery, the classic two-seater Mercedes I adored, the handbags I’d once been so proud of along with rails of designer clothes.

At the height of my success, I’d paid £10,000 for a Chanel handbag. When I came to sell it, desperate for money to buy food, I got around £900. When you’re struggling, you don’t get to hold out for the right buyer; you take what you can get.

Meanwhile, I tried to start again in LA, pitching a TV show about art and looking for ways to make money. But this was a city built around image and youth. I was in my late 40s by then and, no matter how hard I pushed, nothing took off.

Eventually, everything that could be sold had gone. Unable to pay my rent, my landlord told me to leave.

I remember standing there with my mobile on its last bit of battery, no credit left, no money, no family nearby and no idea where I was going to sleep. Then a free local paper was pushed through the door. Leafing through it, I spotted a small advert for a homeless shelter.

It felt like the very bottom of the ladder, but I had no other options, and so I made one last call to the minister who ran it before my phone died.

I spent the next two weeks in that shelter, surrounded by people whose lives had been far tougher than mine – gang members, men and women with no family to turn to, people who truly had nothing.

It was frightening, but it was also the point where something in me shifted. Sitting there, I realised how easy it is to find yourself at rock bottom. One or two bad decisions, a bit of bad luck, and you can end up somewhere you never imagined.

But I also realised that, unlike many of the people around me, I still had something precious: hope. I had skills and people back home I could call on.

I picked up the phone to my former business partner in the UK – the most humbling call I’ve ever made – and asked for help to get home. I admitted everything had gone, and he sent me a plane ticket.

In 2005, I arrived back in Leicester with nothing. I went back to exactly where I had started and began again, sleeping on my older sister Lynn’s sofa. She didn’t judge me or lecture me. Her kindness brought me right back down to earth and reminded me what really mattered.

I signed on for benefits and had to survive on around £80 a week. I felt ashamed and carried an enormous sense of failure. I had once been a millionaire, staying in luxury hotels and shopping on Rodeo Drive. Now I was queuing to explain why I had no income.

Eventually I was given housing benefit and managed to rent a tiny cottage. Finding work was tough. In my early 50s, with a background as a high-flying entrepreneur who’d been a millionaire, the Jobcentre staff didn’t quite know what to do with me. I was overqualified for receptionist or sales assistant roles but for a while I did work as a temp answering phones for £10 an hour.

Then I was assigned to someone at the Jobcentre who specialised in unusual cases like mine. He saw that I was an entrepreneur at heart and I was given a £300 business loan. I used it to build a fashion venture that eventually became my brand, Venus Cow.

My only qualification was that I had been a shopaholic who bought clothes all over the world. But I understood how women wanted clothes to fit and set out to create the perfect pair of black leggings. Made in Britain from cotton that was thick enough not to become transparent and designed not to create a muffin top.

It took six years to develop the design and fabric, protect the idea and get the product right. The business finally began to take off in 2018. Then Covid struck and disrupted everything again – but Venus Cow survived and is doing well.

I haven’t regained the millions I once lost and I still rent a small but beautiful cottage in the countryside. But I don’t need marble bathrooms or Chanel handbags to prove I have succeeded.

And should I make a great deal of money again, I intend to give it to charity. I have already lived the millionaire lifestyle. I know it doesn’t necessarily make you safe or happy.

Now 70, I’m back on my feet and thriving. I remain an entrepreneur, as well as working as a life coach and author, but I have never forgotten how quickly everything can disappear.

That rebuilding didn’t happen overnight. It was built on making every pound count, and finding ways to look and feel like myself again on a very tight budget.

I had to change my mindset around money completely. If you’ve always cared about how you present yourself – as I have – the hardest thing about having no money isn’t just paying the bills, it’s holding on to your dignity and sense of self.

These are the money rules I live by now – the practical steps that helped me go from living on the dole to being financially sound once again:

Rule 1: Audit small comforts

When I hit rock bottom, I couldn’t afford vague budgeting. I had to see, in black and white, where every pound was going.

* Track everything for one week. I wrote down every spend – wine, coffees, snacks, magazines, online ‘bargains’ – no rounding down, no pretending it didn’t count.

* Total the ‘comfort’ spending. Seeing that weekly figure was a shock. It wasn’t the rent or the bills that were sinking me, it was the comforts I’d told myself I deserved. Cut them fast, not slowly. I quit smoking, alcohol and takeaway coffees in one go. You might not need to cut everything but do choose at least one or two and stop for 30 days to assess the impact on your finances.

* Redirect the savings with purpose. I treated that freed-up money as untouchable: it went on rent, food and arrears – not new treats. It feels brutal at first, but you’ll be amazed how quickly you adapt.

Rule 2: Move your body for free, every day

I couldn’t justify a gym membership but I didn’t want to give up on my health, so I set a rule to move for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, no excuses.

* Keep it free and simple. For me walking was my go-to, but there are plenty of free YouTube exercise tutorials that allow you to work out in your own living room.

* I stuck to the same time every day. If it rained, I put a coat on. If I felt low, I walked slower, but I still moved my body.

* Focus on your head, not your waistline. I used those walks to process what had happened and to tell myself: ‘This isn’t permanent.’ As you get moving you can use that time to mentally rehearse job interviews, plan meals or simply switch off from your troubles and breathe.

In a few months, your mood, sleep and confidence start to shift – and it won’t cost you a penny.

Rule 3: Treat food as fuel, not comfort

When I was living on £80 a week, food had to keep me alive and functioning, not numb my feelings.

* Shop at the right time. I went to the fruit and veg market as stalls were packing up, when prices dropped to almost nothing. In supermarkets, I went straight to the yellow sticker reduced shelves and own brand basics.

* Build a short ‘survival menu’. I rotated a handful of meals – jacket potatoes with beans and cheese, omelettes with frozen veg and simple soups from cheap vegetables.

* Cook to the bargains, not your cravings. I looked at what was reduced first, then decided what I’d eat. You can do this too by asking yourself, ‘What’s cheap today?’ rather than, ‘What do I fancy?’

Rule 4: Be clever about beauty

I still cared about how I looked – it just had to cost next to nothing.

* Swap salons for training schools. I found local hairdressing colleges and training schools where students need models to get cuts, colour and blow dries. They charge a fraction of salon prices, and it’s all supervised by tutors.

* Create a £0 skincare routine. Each morning, I ran an ice cube over my face – that’s it. Over time my skin felt tighter and fresher. And I used what was already in the kitchen: avocado skins on dry, cracked areas; grated orange peel with a little oil as a body scrub.

The goal isn’t to look expensive. It’s to look like someone who still respects herself, even when her bank balance has fallen through the floor.

Rule 5: Shop where the rich get rid, not where they splash the cash

Losing money taught me to fill my wardrobe with other women’s expensive mistakes.

* I stopped going to designer shops and started going to charity shops in wealthy areas and car boot sales near affluent neighbourhoods.

* Set strict spending rules: take cash only, decide your maximum spend before you go in and accept that when the money’s gone, you’re done.

* Know what you’re looking for. I kept an eye out for quality fabrics (wool, silk, cotton), classic cuts I could wear for years and items with the tags still on – and there were plenty.

* Enjoy the hunt, not the haul. I treated it as treasure hunting, not shopping therapy. Even now, I’d rather wear a £10 charity shop blazer from a rich postcode than a £300 one I can’t really afford.

Rule 6: Protect your dignity with small daily standards

Losing status can make you feel invisible, but I refused to disappear.

* Create a ‘minimum presentation’ list. Put on a proper outfit, do your hair, apply a bit of make-up. If I had the Jobcentre or a difficult appointment, I made more effort, not less. This wasn’t to impress them - it was to mentally support me.

* Your standards might include painted nails, ironed shirt, polished shoes. Pick a couple and keep to them no matter what. Those tiny acts don’t change your bank balance, but they quietly protect your self-respect – and when you’re trying to rebuild your finances that matters far more than your bank manager will tell you.

Shirley’s autobiography, Waterfall Down, is available on Amazon priced £11.99.

Thanks To The Editors at The Daily Mail For This Opportunity

A Stylish Lunch Spot Slash Supermarket Where The Homemade Sandwiches Won’t Break The Bank

A Neighbourhood place for the locals

Savannah Black

2026-07-15T11:35:00.0000000 2026-07-15T18:11:32.4100000

Somerset Energy, Relaxed Food Shopping and Lunch to Go in Mayfair.

If you are not completely loaded crossing over the invisible border from the westend to Mayfair can give anyone palpitations.

Mayfair known for the well heeled and the beautiful people can be a little bit intimidating if you are more of a pie and a pint person. I’ve sat down in a small Italian red table clothed bistro before had a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine and nearly coughed up my lunch when I was handed the bill so it’s good to know about places like the Farm Shop, offering beautiful freshly prepared sandwiches, salads and snacks, cold drinks and “wild food” fruit, more like a posh supermarket meal deal with tables outside, lovely on a sunny day, where you can be in the thick of things without needing a bank loan to pay for lunch.

If you want more of a sit down affair they do have a restaurant and “wine bar” downstairs. I didn’t explore the menu or the prices but the tomato open sandwich I ordered off the counter was incredible, had a kind of salty tapenade pesto combo to give it a lift and served on fresh crunchy ciabatta. A decent sized portion for the price £7.50 too.

With a piece of fruit and an original Hullabaloo lemonade, refreshing, homemade taste the bill was less than the street parking close by.

It’s actually more like a little farm shop supermarket, deli than a restaurant serving coffee and pastries too if you are looking for a cute place to enjoy a cuppa mid morning.

I also noticed small pop up brands displayed like cashmere socks and scarves from independent Scottish brand, made exclusively for The Fife Arms by British-based knitwear designer Rosie Sugden. The socks were £40 which I didn’t think was too bad. They felt really lovely. The matching scarves were a lot more expensive at £395 but it was great to see these great Made in Scotland goods being given a push.

It’s a quirky place, part food store, part supermarket, part gifts and independent brands so definitely worth popping into for a noisy if you are passing. The closest tube station is probably Marble Arch and I’d say it’s about a 10 minute walk from there.

Jane Eyre Black and White 1943 Movie

Vintage black and white Hollywood movie

Shirley Yanez

2026-07-15T08:02:00.0000000 2026-07-15T08:20:00.9070000

The 1944 classic Jane Eyre is a brooding cinematic triumph. Orson Welles brings a towering, shadowed intensity to Mr. Rochester, perfectly contrasting Joan Fontaine's luminous reserve. It's a masterclass in gothic romance, swirling with deep chiaroscuro shadows and passionate, haunting tension. Why Vintage Black and White Cinema Captivates Me.

There is a profound magic in classic, monochrome storytelling. Stripped of colour, the films rely entirely on light, shadow, and subtext. This allows for a deeper, more atmospheric engagement where the imagination weaves its own colours into the frames. The Masterful use of deep contrasts and long shadows evokes an emotional resonance that feels intimately tied to the human condition, perfect for ghost stories and gothic romances. Theatrical Presence: Without flashy digital effects, these films pivot on sharp dialogue and magnetic performances, demanding that actors—like Welles—radiate sheer star power to command the scene.

Timeless Universality: The absence of era-specific colour palettes gives black and white films a mythical, dream-like quality. They bridge the gap between reality and fantasy, allowing the core themes to shine through with striking clarity. For me, this love affair with monochrome is deeply personal, rooted in the flickering glow of a 1950s living room. As a small child, I sat beside my mother, captivated by the fierce screen presence of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, and Joan Fontaine. These women were architects of their own fates, navigating romance with a sharp, almost masculine steeliness that refused to bow. Watching them, I wasn't just consuming stories; I was absorbing a blueprint. Decades later, I look back and recognize that the unapologetic way I handled love, independence, and resilience as an adult was quietly forged right there in the shadows of those magnificent women.

For fans of classic cinema, film buffs agree that the 1944 adaptation brilliantly captures the stormy, windswept essence of Charlotte Brontë's original prose. You can easily explore this ⁠Jane Eyre 1943 Details on IMDb to see how the masterpiece was constructed.

The Love Island Villa Goes Nuclear with Ellie Chadwick Exploding Expletives

Off The Charts Content For Producers As Finlay Maddocks and Bombshell Elicia Bailey Kiss On a...

MossMagg

2026-07-14T08:39:40.0330000 2026-07-17T10:19:46.0830000

My Jasmine Lorenzo prediction didn’t come to fruition for Love Island 2026 as Jasmine and Cavan have reconnected after the Charlene, Casa Amour test drama and appear out of the edit as Scot Ellie Chadwick and Welshman Finlay Maddock take over the narrative going at it hammer and tongs. Jasmine, whilst a bit emotional at first soon got her crying under control, set her boundaries and got Cavan to bin off Charlene in a dramatic twist that left her exiled from the villa and Jas and Cav cut out of the action. Falling in love clearly not really the object of the exercise as Lola and Sean coupled up from the start, leave the villa after coming out bottom of the public vote. It’s brutal out there.

We are used to triangles on Love Island, when two people are fighting over the same boy or girl, the format lends itself to the explosions as loved up girls get to see up close and personal how clueless boys cannot help themselves when it comes to a pretty face in a bikini.

We all thought Finlay was different as Ellie and Finlay became the bookies favourites to scoop the £50K until bombshell Elicia was thrown into the frey to mix things up.

They (men) all want more than one. It’s biological. They cannot help it. Cake and eat it, and how they navigate that desire or not is what causes all the upset for the women, who also seem unskilled and inexperienced at managing their emotions when boys will be boys.

Blonde, Ellie Chadwick who wears her heart on her sleeve has become the publics favourite and the people’s champion throughout the series, voted favourite girl as she has navigated heartbreak at every turn, punched it directly between the eyes until her handsome prince Finlay appeared as a gallivant knight on a white charger, or so she thought.

Before Finlay it was Aiden, then his younger brother Kav (before he moved onto Jasmine) then it was Tommy Murphy before he moved on to bombshell Halle Brown only coming back to Ellie after she was dumped from the villa.

When Finlay appeared the couple appeared to be a match made in heaven. Movie night we saw the couple cement their connection as Ellie confused to the girls how deeply she had fallen for Finlay. He publicly reciprocated the affection and connection in front of the group, bowled over by her declaration of deep feelings.

Until Elicia Bailey a 23 year old Yorkshire railway worker turned Finlay’s head and Ellie went nuclear.

It made me think about the format, what producers are looking for when deciding on who they place is there and what they asking them to do. Elicia has gone from being the vixen, dropped in the coup to to befriend the hens, she’s a girls girl, she says, to angry and crying when Finlay says his priority is Ellie after kissing her on a date.

Ellie is giving producers TV gold as her fish wife has emerged, f ing and blinding after Finlay explores things with Elicia, saying he owes it to himself to make the most of his Love Island experience.

Even Lorenzo has become the villa agony aunt dishing out common sense life coaching on the terrace, the newly designated therapy area where usually participants go for a smooch in semi private.

He seems the most able to manoeuvre between women by laying his cards out on the table to begin with, holding back and openly admitting his likes to have fun over being tied down in a relationship something he has never succumbed to on the outside. Even gorgeous clever witty Julia, with her Polish, tough girl Eastern European education when it comes to love hasn’t been able to really break him down thus far and if anyone can then she can, he says she’s his type and has even conceded to making her a cup of coffee in the morning, an expected act of service for the women from their partners.

The biggest thing for me is how absolutely clueless and inexperienced Finley Maddock is when it comes to handling the opposite sex.

Girls take note. Ellie Chadwick has proven, shouting and screaming, ranting and raving only gives the TV executives exactly what they want, explosive television content.

The lesson for us all, soon as you’ve realised the boy you like is off exploring elsewhere right in front of you, crying doesn’t help the situation. It just makes you look more like the idiot you are actually angry he’s made you look like for not showing you respect.

Finlay hasn’t made a fool of Ellie or Elicia, tasked with the mandate of shaking things up by stealing a boy from someone else.

He’s the one who’s going to end up with no one. Then and only then will he work hard to win the girl back, probably in this case Ellie, look at Simba and Angie; now declaring his undying love after she quietly refused to tolerate his laddish borderline sleasy behaviour.

Interestingly the men, in this situation when Ethan pinched Priya from Aidan take things a lot better. Instead of throwing a wobbly, they, in this case Aidan is making more effort, but not with Priya, with Ellie, giving weight to the saying, treat them mean and keep them keen, ladies. Even Ellie is going back down that road.

I would like to see Ellie get really smart, calm down and quietly and firmly let Finlay know, he’s just not good enough for her.

And mean it. Because while ever Finlay believe Ellie is mad about him, the truth behind why she’s so upset and cannot control her emotions and language, it isn’t making the slightest difference to his behaviour.

Cut him dead Ellie and watch him come running.

There’s a lesson here in self esteem for every female looking for love.

As Ivana Trump once said in her iconic appearance in First Wives Club “Don’t get mad, get everything.”

Laundry Solution When Dark Dye Runs Into White Trim Or Edging

Laundry Hack, White Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda, followed By A Dr, Beckmann Colour Catching...

Dora Black

2026-07-13T09:20:00.0000000 2026-07-13T10:24:56.8130000

When I was young I grew up with people who knew how to do things in the house keeping laundry arena. I don’t follow Martha Stewart or Mrs Hinge, I don’t even know who the latter is I only know people call me by that name.

I guess I am from a different generation. People don’t wash and iron these days, they discard, dump and replace.

That’s not my style I invest and then look after so when a washing tragedy occurs on something you love, you need to know how to fix it.

What to do when something black and white or navy and white is washed too hot and the dark colour runs into the light colour making it grey.

This has happened to me a few times with swimwear, I like a contrasting trim on a bikini, black and white or navy and white/cream but have ruined a few in the washing machine. Now I usually hand wash bikinis if they have two contrasting fabrics, plain swimwear I wash on cool in the machine, synthetic fabric is very difficult to whiten anything that has gone grey.

Cotton is a different story and this you can usually recover.

I washed a favourite beach sarong, black with white edging I love and paid a lot for too hot and when it came out of the machine the crisp white edge was a dull dingy grey.

Gutted is not the word. I made the mistake of not acting immediately and allowing it to dry which does make it harder to reverse. Fortunately I didn’t put it in a tumble dryer as this will set in the dye and make it virtually impossible to rectify.

Here’s my laundry hack which did work on 100% cotton.

I soaked the garment in a solution of white vinegar, mildly acid and bicarbonate of soda for about 8 hours.

In a normal sized washing up bowl I put about a cup of white vinegar and a heaped dessert spoon of bicarbonate of soda in temperate water. Not hot not freezing.

After I soaked the garment I then ran through a cold wash cycle with a Dr. Beckmann colour catching sheet.

These are pretty expensive £5.50 but they work. I have been pretty impressived with the Dr. Beckmann range. I have found it to be better than other alternatives like Colour Catcher or Dylon.

My results weren’t completely perfect, probably because I let the garment dry before treating it, the faster you act the better.

But it is much more wearable than it was, only I would probably notice the slight grey tinge.

Would the colour catcher sheets work without the white vinegar, not to be confused with wine or cider vinegar, stage. I don’t know but a long soak before watching anything was the go to solution for both my Mum and my Grandma who kept whites really white long before Vanish and Dr.Beckmann were even a thing.

FYI before you just throw the fated item back in the wash with a spoonful of your favourite whitener brightened, make sure it’s colour safe, a lot aren’t and you could end up making matters worse if you don’t check first.

Why Bicarbonate of Soda is the safer alternative, household bleaching agent and at 49p from Aldi a whole lot cheaper too.

I’ve added the link for the Dr. Beckmann sheets from Waitrose where I bought mine from. Of course they happen to be on sale now for £3.66 for 50 sheets.

Mortons Private Club Berkeley Square Willkommen Bienvenue Welcome

Not The Kit Kat Club But Close in the 80s and 90s

Miranda Blacky

2026-07-12T08:09:00.0000000 2026-07-12T08:47:11.6400000

Morton’s Berkeley Square willkommen bienvenue welcome

Not The Kit Kat Club But Close

Every time I drive past 28 Berkeley Square I get a twinge of nostalgia. A time when champagne was called pop and we guzzled it like it was as innocuous as lemonade. They say no one gets to old and wise without passing through young and stupid, somehow Morton’s club was the kid glove protection where someone always made sure their chauffeur got you safely to your door before you made a complete fool of yourself.

The Grade II listed building at 28 Berkeley Square in Mayfair, situated right next door to the fancy auction house Phillips, was originally the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s private home the 1820s. I didn’t know that until right now. It hasn’t changed much since then. It looks like a regular town house from the outside and until recently it’s all been boarded up with the windows blacked out from the inside. A shadow of its former self.

When we used to go it was the most happening private members club in London, the hottest ticket in town, where the young and beautiful would loiter outside waiting to ask a member to sign them in. They always did. Nobody minded, it was that kind of place, rules were meant to be broken.

And who could ever forget DB? Simon Drummond-Brady himself. So much more than just a maître d', he was the prominent face, club manager, and driving force running the establishment during the era, that was the 1980s and 1990s. It was like the roaring 20s. Decadent, outrageous and totally unforgettable. The stylish, the crazy, the titled, the rich, the poor, personalities not celebrities congregated here. Although I remember meeting the racing driver Rupert Keegan, playboy and a regular here and comedian Jim Davidson one evening. My friend dated him for a while after that mad evening. In a way we were so lucky to have experienced fun and socialising at its height at 28 Berkeley Square.

In 2025 after Covid the squatters moved in. The ex-Michelin-starred restaurant and club once frequented by the likes of Pippa Middleton, Jodie Kidd, Lindsay Lohan, me and my friends has gone through a bit of a down grade.

Very sad that the people inhabiting these once fabulous now derelicts spaces, Gordon Ramsay York and Albany in Camden and San Lorenzos, Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge (and Diana’s favourite restaurant) has suffered similar fates with squatters, have nowhere else to go. The York and Albany got them out with a court order but has not reopened as a restaurant, owner film director Gary Love has it on the market for a guide price of £13 million.

I drove past the other day, the door was open and people were milling about outside, it seemed serendipitous there was a parking space right outside, especially considering all the spaces are now reserved for Lime bikes instead of the Bentleys and Porsches of a bygone time, so I stopped.

I was nosey, curious to see what was going on, if new life was being breathed into the space that held so many memories, the dark cosy booths, the long bar on the right, the little white loo at the back with the floral wallpaper and single rickety hook on the door.

I was tempted to ask for a peek inside to re conjure the excitement of 40 years ago if just for a moment, the way people revisit childhood homes. Morton’s was where I came of age even though I was never member myself.

I discovered that currently, the building at 28 Berkeley Square is acting as a versatile commercial property. It frequently hosts high-profile, temporary brand takeovers and exclusive exhibition experiences.

Most recently, it was occupied by the luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton for an immersive, temporary hotel pop-up, fancy I am sure but it would be hard to ever recreate the late night scene the unique and venerable Simon Drummond Brady managed to cultivate.

It was somewhere worthy of movie story telling magic.

Willkommen bienvenue welcome.

If DB ever returned, it would be the most sought after ticket in London. And not for celebrities especially but for all the old regulars of which I am sure there are many who remember as fondly as I what times were had. If walls could talk, it is a movie.

Terry Tea To Tan Hydra Mist Vegan Beauty Part Make Up Part Skincare

Appealed to me because of water based all natural credentials

Elizabeth Black

2026-07-11T07:52:00.0000000 2026-07-11T08:27:02.3730000

I don’t buy a lot of cosmetics and beauty products. I never got into it when I was younger growing up in Northern California, spending summers at the beach I was always pretty tanned and glowing and time spent hiking and outdoors throughout the year make up wasn’t really on my agenda.

Since moving to the UK where it’s usually wet, windy and raining, I have lost my sunshine state glow so when I saw this product on a flight, I had a long weekend in Ibiza I decided to purchase.

I didn’t use it while I was away. It wasn’t until I’d been back for a couple of weeks and noticed my glow fading I remembered I’d bought it. Actually I by chance saw someone online using it with a make up brush and it triggered, I’ve got that.

I purchased a new quite large make up brush, not an expensive one and had a go.

And it’s AMAZING. Looks so natural. Like I’ve just been on holiday. It’s not too dark initially but you can build it if you want more colour. It’s all natural and completely vegan which is great for me.

I absolutely love it, what a great product. I got mine for a great deal on the flight. 30ml was only £23 and I got an extra 30% off so it ended up being about £18. Ha I thought that was a lot until I went online and discovered to replace it, it’s £50.

So if you see this little bottle in your in flight duty free magazine this summer, get a bottle.

Even for people who don’t wear make it’s really good. Doesn’t look like foundation, in fact you don’t need any foundation after using this.

It gives you a tan with a little glow. Really really easy great product. Would I pay £50 for the replacement. Maybe. I’ll be using mine carefully and making it last though now I know what a great deal I got. It’s transfer proof so doesn’t come off on your clothes and easily washes off with soap and water.

Like foundation but not foundation. Perfect for holidays or natural days.

Very happy with this product.

Laduree Not Just For Macaroons They Have Ice Cream and Sorbet Too

Popped into Laduree On South Audley St To See What’s What

Margaret Louis

2026-07-10T09:21:00.0000000 2026-07-10T10:15:18.4830000

I am not a big dessert person and I don’t like macaroons especially so the only reason I’ve shopped in Laduree in the past is to buy gifts for friends. One of my friends loves a macaroon and Laduree especially.

If you fancy a treat it is a special place. With the signature pale green packaging and quite lovely interiors, which ever cafe shop you visit.

There are a few scattered around London,

Ladurée Covent Garden: 1 The Market, London WC2E 8RA (Features the signature soft-serve ice cream cart).

Ladurée Burlington Arcade: 71 / 72 Burlington Arcade, London W1J 0QX.

Ladurée Selfridges: Confectionery Room, Lower Ground Floor, 400 Oxford Street, London W1A 1AB.

I had no idea they have soft serve ice cream, but when I saw the cart outside the shop just off Grosvenor Square, about a 5 minute walk from Park Lane and Oxford St I had to stop and try it.

Ice cream or gelato I am mad for.

There are few options you can go for from a single scoop cone at £4.95, a single serve tub at £6.50 or the £12.50 Ispahan Ice cream sundae which goes up to £14.50 if you decide to sit down and eat it.

I went for the tub because the cones are signature crunchy macaroon cones, which I didn’t fancy.

The ice cream glaces, basically an icecream sandwich where the icecream is sandwiched between two large macaroon shells appeared to be the hot choice by customers with flavours of Rose, Pistachio with Raspberry, vanilla and Chocolate and coconut with simple Strawberry. They call them Les Plaisirs Glacés. Ice cream pleasures.

Again these didn’t really appeal to me. They look absolutely stunning but you gotta like a macaroon.

If you are looking for plant based they do have a good selection of fruit sorbets.

I wanted to go for the Neapolitan combo in a tub. But the small tubs are already pre prepared at £5.50 to go £6.50 to eat in. Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry was the question.

I ended up opting for Chocolate which did look pretty delicious but ended up being only OK. It was not bad, just not the best ice cream I’ve eaten.

Could have been because it was very hot and a bit runny and messy. Also very sweet and not that chocolatey.

The product didn’t live up to the packaging and marketing for me.

Would I go back, probably on a cooler day. Laduree definitely delivers the Parisian vibes in a posh cafe setting.

And if you love a macaroon like my friend I am assured there’s no where better.

Rescue Lux A Private Club You Want To Join If You Live For A Designer Fashion Bargain

Luxury recycled Fashion haven a train ride away from London if you can get in

Poppy

2026-07-09T08:29:00.0000000 2026-07-09T09:59:01.6830000

London Girls Listen Up.

I had to snoop about this incredible fashion haven up north. Market Harborough. I know. I’d never heard of it either. Fashion lovers, secondhand shoppers, bargain hunters, forget that trip to a stately home, or a European flea market you’ve seen on TikTok, there’s something way better and way closer to home. Jump on the train, or take a quick trip up the M1 to junction 21, the Lutterworth/Market Harborough turn off to this small market town in the Midlands.

That’s where ex Hollywood Stylists Holly and Shirley have their off the map styling studio full to the brim with couture and designer luxury fashion lovers die to step inside.

They are an unusual pair, British but hailing from Los Angeles. A friend of my mother had been to pay them a visit with a friend of hers, Lady somebody or other (great taste but not much cash to splash) and had a wail of a time. They came back with some incredible pieces used in films, worn by celebrities, but more so the stories and enthusiasm were so incredible and infectious, I wanted to pay them a visit and see what all the fuss was about for myself.

As a lover of American quiet luxury brand James Perse I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found a whole dedicated rail at 60-70 percent off retail. And my friend who is from Surrey said if this place was in Weybridge there wouldn’t be a single thing left in the vaulted and brick cool studio full of heavy duty clothing rails packed with luxury, designer, collectible, rare and vintage bargains.

I cannot describe the experience, like stepping into the fashion closet at Runway magazine, Devil Wears Prada, I made a joke about Nigel Stanley Tucci appearing as if by magic. Holly and Shirley laughed. They go to work in the space like two bees very calmly buzzing around, talking between themselves about this or that item they seem able to put their hand on at the drop of a hat. They offer an absolutely incredible personal service, it’s not organised like a retail shop so difficult to browse unless you are just curious, nosey ir very interested in fashion. The variety and selection better than Harvey Nichols or Harrods and for a fraction of the price. They pride themselves on having something fabulous for everyone. Personal shopping at it’s very best from obvious experts, it’s best to hand yourself over to.

This is like a private members club for women who love to shop and love a discount, a bargain.

I got the distinct impression it’s not about the money for these women it’s about the clothes, people who genuinely love the fashion.

How do you get in? How do you get an appointment?

Like most off the grid places you need to be invited. Or know someone who knows them. You have to be introduced really. It’s sort of an exclusive club, they tell me.

When you arrive at the location you don’t know where you are going. You have to text them and they come and meet you in the street and take you there. It’s so private we were surprised we weren’t blindfolded. What we do is not for everyone we are informed. It’s very special.

They have a website Rescuelux.com so shopping a couple of times on there first seems to be the first step to securing an appointment.

Only a fraction of the stuff I saw is actually up online they told me, we’ve got so much and always something new coming, it would take a million years to photograph it all.

This is a club you want to be in. I got an incredible mint condition Chanel small document bag for £1250 I’d seen on other sites for double that.

We all love Vinted but with the scandals emerging around con artists and criminals on the platform and so many people losing their money, their goods or both, the excitement around the global business is dwindling at least amongst my friends who are struggling to sell, have complaints about the algorithms and also there’s a lot of rubbish to sift through to find the gems, people have lost patience.

Holly and Shirley’s Rescue Lux is the quiet luxury alternative to shopping secondhand designer luxury.

I cannot tell you how amazing their collection is, you have to see it for yourself. I could have spent hours in there trying on literally everything.

They don’t allow that, keeping you to a sensible plan and making sure you stay within your budget. They don’t like buyers remorse and there are no returns. They see sharing treasured collection as a privilidge so advise you if you are not sure don’t buy. It’s selling in reverse. There’s a definite consciousness to this place, not overtly mentioned but a you can feel things of real beauty matter to Holly and Shirley. A great deal of care is taken in what they do, a bit like rehoming a puppy.

If you’ve been to the best places, difficult to access unless you know someone or a member recommends you you’ll understand you have to play by the rules.

They don’t like time wasters.

Check out their website where you’ll find a much more curated luxury Vinted, vintage jewellery and couture, to present day runway pieces so good you’ll think you are in Paris, Los Angeles, Milano, not a secret fashion hideaway in sleepy Market Harborough

Mount Street Gardens Sacred Nature Grotto

A secret hideaway in Favourite Free Park In London

R and R Black

2026-07-08T07:04:00.0000000 2026-07-08T07:49:54.6000000

I’ve never ventured into Mount St Garden Sacred Nature grotto before, and international first and so beautiful and serene I wanted to share the experience. Even though I’ve been to this area of London’s Mayfair a lot, my favourite London hotel, The Connaught is 30 seconds away, the stationary shop Mount St printers I love to browse, I love the smell, like a perfumers for me, the Hideway cafe, where I have bought lunch to go and wandered into the gardens behind the cafe, I didn’t know this secret oasis within the gardens behind existed.

It maybe new. The jasmine arch gifts it’s scent but there’s definitely more arch than jasmine, which makes me believe this winding path leading to a stone sunken garden is an addition.

When I arrived it was deserted. Three amber benches awaited with curved backs designed for comfort unlike a traditional park bench awaited. I chose one to the right, leaving the bench opposite and the one on my right vacant.

I remember thinking I hope no one comes. And they didn’t.

I could hear the chatter and laughter of other garden visitors but for 20 minutes while I waited for a friend who actually didn’t arrive I had this sanctuary to myself.

They say the best things in life are free.

Whilst I sat I thought how lovely this space was, I have a small garden I enjoy, but for people living and working in the City centre this beautiful free space available for everyone stands in stark contrast to the businesses surrounding it, you have to be pretty flush to enter.

For visitors, there are a few cafes and restaurants around the Mount St gardens so if you want somewhere to while away an hour, conversing with the flowers, eat lunch to go, or just reflect and relax, I highly recommend this one tucked away next to the Mayfair public library.

The gothic architecture of the apartment buildings that surround Mount St Garden is pretty splendid but this secret oasis a garden within a garden, with a winding path down, surrounded by lush trees of unusual variety is a must visit for any weary traveller in need of a place to rest and wait a while.

It would be an excellent retreat, peaceful for anyone who needed to calm down in private, even have a good cry. There aren’t many places you can do that in London without an audience.

Wimbledon 2026 Bedroom Bystander Fashionable Observer And Commentator The Story So Far

Terrible Coverage At Times As BBC Switch Channels at Crucial Moments In Matches

Holly HY

2026-07-07T09:53:00.0000000 2026-07-07T23:16:44.0970000

But coverage I am truly grateful for nonetheless. Here’s my Wimbledon 2026 Bedroom breakdown and Tournament Commentary.

This year’s Wimbledon championship has made me think about living in Wimbledon.

I cannot face the queue, a reported two days sleeping under the stars for a centre court ticket on day two of the championships this year, goodness knows what must be endured for the up coming semi finals and finals weekend.

I’ve decided my desire to live by the ocean is greater, 365 days, and walks on the beach and salt water dips more important and better for me than 14 days watching tennis 12 hours a day (or close to) but it doesn’t diminish my love of the game and like so many players my love of the Wimbledon Championships in particular.

Like many I have enjoyed these two summer weeks of glorious weather and soaring temperatures in my bedroom with a tablet, an upgraded screen from last year watching much of the tournament on my phone.

The Wimbledon fortnight is over subscribed. My ballot entries have proved unsuccessful to date and even following down marketing paths for tickets, American Express, Evian, LTA, all rabbit holes. This year I even went to My Wimbledon account each day in the run up to buy tickets a fruitless exercise because even in the event a day opened up hopes were immediately dashed when you clicked the box to discover, no you’re too late.

And there are so many stories online of people being conned. Many other ticket tout options, there are a lot advertising, feel like, if you hand over your hard earned cash, you are asking for trouble. Wimbledon are very clear. The rules are strict and only tickets acquired legitimately will gain you access to possibly the most coveted sporting event in the world. (World Cup included)

Content to watch from home and listening to John McEnroe making hilarious Faux Pas from the commentary box the string of incredible matches has been truly wondrous.

As well as my usual suspects I support and cheer for, Djokovic at the top of my list, I have found my self introduced to new favourites, not least of all wildcard Grigor Dmitrov who I guiltily found myself cheering on against British new comer Arthur Frey now a first time quarter finalist at age 23, he’ll be 24 on finals day this year, 12th July.

I felt for Italian Jasmine Paolini in the ladies final two years ago when she was beaten by Czech Barbora Krejcikova (someone else I love to watch, a very exciting third round win for her against Bartunkova only to be beaten by Muchova another country woman in the round of 16) so it was a tough match to watch against Alexandra Eala the Philippine star who captured everyone’s heart when she bravely polished off the current ladies singles champion Iga Swiatek from Poland.

I also watched the match on the edge of my seat literally that saw world number 1 Aryna Sabelenka coolly dismantled by fashionista Naomi Osaka from Japan.

It’s been thrilling and that’s before we even get into the guys.

Didn’t know who I was rooting for in the Djokovic Tsitsipas 2nd round match but was happy to see Novak advance. Both the Rinderknech and Safiullin matches were nail biters. They definitely raised my heart rate as Djokovic bids for his record 25 slam title.

American Taylor Fritz I haven’t watched much until his 4th round match up against joker Kazakhstan’s Andrei Bublik who he demolished in 3 sets and because of the upsets in the bottom half of the draw seems to be the clear favourite for a place in Sunday’s final.

He doesn’t have the charm and charisma of a lot of players not least Carlos Alcaraz whose absence this year due to a wrist injury has been definitely felt by fans, but his 6 foot 5 frame, presence on the court and Magic Mike showman ship as he pulls off his pants stripper style before play plus an indomitable 135mph first serve (when it goes in which felt like a lot in the Bublik match) makes him look like a strong challenger for the title this year whoever he faces if he makes it.

Someone usually by his side and a BBC favourite in his players box is his ex, entrepreneur and fashion infuencer Morgan Riddle @moorgs on Instagram. Whilst dating the world no 6 she got the Wimbledon Threads gig, in an official capacity, cutting content from the tournament and highlighting the fashion and the fashionable from the tournament on her feed and on you tube. It was a new addition to the Wimbledon outtakes and media coverage I really loved. Except since the power couple’s public break up, no Morgan at this years championship, either officially or unofficially which is a shame, I think lots of people were interested in what people were wearing at Wimbledon, come on, the whole thing is costumed and sponsored by Ralph Lauren for goodness sake. And the players get paid a fortune by sportswear brands and big name fashion houses to promote. I think it’s sad she only got the gig as the girlfriend not because of her talent and media expertise. I for one think Wimbledon Threads needs a reboot in 2027.

I cannot write a post about Wimbledon 2026 without a nod to world number one Jannik Sinner who I haven’t watched play much until he played Mochizuko in the fourth round, round of 16. I did enjoy this match as the qualifier ranked 151 in the world mixed things up and produced a fabulous match the final score line didn’t really represent.

Whilst I cannot take anything away from Jannik Sinners achievements as a sportsman and the relentless consistent battering he usually delivers on the court, the cheating allegation and short 3 month doping ban in 2025 has had an impact on my ability to root for him. His friends say he’s a really great guy, which may be true and he is a great tennis player, he’s one the jury’s out on for me at the moment.

We saw the legend that is Roger Federer donned in a very smart brown suit, not easy to pull off, watching on for the round of 16 matches this year, sitting in front of Pippa and Carole Middleton, the last to leave a deserted Royal Box as he went the distance to watch Zverev try to secure his place in the quarter finals. The match was suspended with Zverev up 2 sets to love, 3 all in the third.

I’ve taken a lot of screen shots on the championships to date. I could only pick 5.

I for one would love to see the BBC scan the crowd at the final and see Boris Becker back at Wimbledon, if not in the Royal Box, maybe in the queue like the rest of us.

How great would that be. I am a great believer in everyone deserves a second chance.

Walkers Sensations With Lime and Coriander Beat Out The Most Popular Poppadoms In Penalty Shoot Out

It doesn’t take a $100 million dollars ad campaign for all of a sudden Poppadom favourite Ito be...

Lily Blacker

2026-07-07T07:13:00.0000000 2026-07-07T07:54:19.8370000

I’ve seen the expensive walkers advertising campaigns for the World Cup, with a whole host of stars, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, telling guests at an amazing millionaires house party to watch the football they can’t come in without a bag of Walkers. It’s pretty funny in America where they don’t sell Walkers and Lays (owned by Pepsi the same parent company is the number one chip) they also make a joke of the distinction in the advert. I don’t know what the campaign cost for No Lay No Game.

The exact, official production budget for Lionel Messi’s World Cup advertisement with Walkers/Lay's (specifically the flagship “No Lay's, No Game: The Most Epic Watch Party” campaign) has not been publicly disclosed by PepsiCo, though experts estimate the overall campaign strategy and star-studded talent fees to sit within a $100 million "barrier to entry" framework.

The joke really, it was a way cheaper old fashioned form of marketing that made me purchase. Word of mouth, an excited smile from someone I know and trust. I almost wish it was an independent small crisp company she had recommended. I wouldn’t normally by Walkers because they are everywhere and for me don’t stand out for flavour or quality especially, until now.

It’s amazing how quickly you can shift from a product and brand you buy all the time,

In this case Waitrose Mini popadoms which we all love in our house to Walkers Sensations lime and coriander, a Mexican twist on an Indian staple which can be enjoyed either with a curry and the usual mango chutney or spicy lime pickle or salsa and guacamole.

Don’t ask me how they just work.

Interesting in this case how a personal recommendation can turn you onto something.

A lady I know in my local supermarket told me about these. She was raving so excitedly sharing she’d had them the other evening with a few cold beers, I had to try a bag.

Not one to usually get over excited about a bag of crisps these are superb.

Like a cross between a prawn cracker, very light and melt in your mouth crispy with a citrusy flavour that literally made us fight over the last handful and left us wishing I’d bought more than one bag.

Try them immediately. Delicious on their own or with dips and a cold drink.

I wouldn’t normally pay almost double for a bag of branded poppadoms, £1.30 for Waitrose mini poppadoms, £2.50 for the walkers version, they have to find the $100,000,000 somewhere to pay the stars but in this case they are worth the price.

We all loved them.

Lancaster Tan Deepener Really Worked For A Borderline Red Head Already With A Tan

Becoming a bit of a safe tanning expert

Amanda Moss

2026-07-06T08:35:00.0000000 2026-07-06T16:32:19.3570000

Thanks Poopsnoop Community.

I read about this tan deepening product on here and decided to give it a try. It’s someone I’ve followed for a while and they have shared a good deal of helpful info, thanks Miranda for this.

I am pretty fair naturally, I think I’ve mentioned before we have red genes and freckles in our family so whilst I do tan slowly I do have a tendency to burn if I am not careful so would normally avoid a tan deepened with low SPF factor under normal circumstances. I am usually a factor spf 50 girl and then moving to factor spf 30.

However since returning from holiday a couple of months ago I’ve been working in the garden a lot at the weekends and in the afternoon and early evening after work and in an attempt to help maintain the summer glow I’ve been slapping on the Lancaster tan deepener on my legs and arms.

For gardening it doesn’t matter it’s messy, gardening is messy too. It’s like a jelly consistency that definitely gives you a glow on top of the existing tan but you have to careful if you get it on your clothes.

Also a warning here for anyone with pale skin, even with a tan already if I am out between 11am and 2pm I put this on top of my normal sunscreen as factor 6 spf is not enough for my skin.

To answer the question does it make you browner and accelerate the tanning process, the answer is yes even on paler skin.

In a couple of weeks I’ve gone from a golden glow achieved in Mediterranean sunshine to bronzed beauty working in my garden in Yorkshire.

How? Well not 100% sure about that. It says it’s got some active ingredient that stimulates the natural melanin in your skin. I had an uncle with milky white skin who used to buy Bergasol suncream once a year for his two weeks in the Channel Islands every year for the exact same reason so maybe there is something in it.

The pluses for Lancaster Tan deepener, it’s a pretty big pot 200ml you can find online for between £18 to £22 and it works to develop or maintain an existing tan. I’ve but a link below for Duty Free at London Heathrow where you can purchase for £15.55.

It doesn’t smell and when you apply it, you do get a bronzed effect, a bit like using a beauty tinted shimmer oil, except once it’s dry it doesn’t come off on your towel or clothes.

The application is a bit messy, it’s dark brown in colour and like a jelly consistency which I don’t mind but friends who have tried it have had mixed reviews.

Important to note this product has been designed for skin that tans easily and rarely burns, not me, so I’d only use it on top of an already existing pretty good suntan if you are pale.

I guess it depends how much you want to feel browner. For girls who fake tan, this is a great alternative when the sun is shinning outside. And for me looking to extend the life of my tan after a summer holiday it’s been a great addition to be summer beauty essentials.

NHS Marathon A Month Scheme To Get People Moving Codswallop

Corporates rewarding participants with free food and drink sounds like a hair brained plan

Fat Francis

2026-07-06T07:40:12.7200000 2026-07-07T08:45:27.0670000

It’s going to be like Nectar or Tesco Club card and points mean prizes, discounts on your takeaway or your favourite daily coffee drink.

And all in the name of getting the nation healthy. Good lord what will they come up with next?

1 in 4 people do less than 30 minutes activity per week, how I don’t know but increasing this, with incentives to 30 minutes walking per day could put as much as four years on your life. People clearly don’t wish to live longer, or didn’t get the 10,000 steps a day memo.

It’s easy to get into a rut. A few years ago I lost 5 stone just by changing my lifestyle. I started to feel the stress on my joints, I had aches and pains in too many places, over the counter painkillers and alcohol, a couple of bottles of wine a week weren’t working like they used to, I’d been signed off work sick for the first time in my life and my quality of life was pretty rubbish.

I started walking daily with a neighbour early in the morning, not that far at first, around the block but that got further and further as time passed and we both got fitter. The summer was easier than the winter but it changed everything. Before long my energy levels had improved. I looked forward to seeing the sunrise, I started laughing more and within three months I was back at work.

So I agree walking is the key, but I am just not sure corporates paying people indirectly to do it will work.

The 10 year plan to get Britains healthier is being spearheaded by Brendan Foster the middle distance runner from the North East who successfully set up the Great North Run.

I think the motives are good but for me lack of motivation when you are not feeling good anyway was the biggest problem, being lazy made getting healthier something I put off for too long. Would a free Starbucks got me moving, I doubt it.

When school kids are campaigning for a late start after England Beat Mexico in the World Cup because everyone stayed up all night and are now too knackered to go, I think it shows where our priorities are in the UK. We have forgotten things like free education and free healthcare are a privilege not to be squandered and abused but to be valued and grateful for.

We have a 350 billion pound welfare bill we collectively cannot afford and a lot of people off sick with low level depression, mild anxiety, back problems, joint problems and physical limitations and injuries caused by being overweight and immobile are exacerbating the problem too. I know because I used to be one of them. There are people with chronic disabilities and life limiting conditions that of course must be helped but we all know that’s not everyone. Hands up if you’ve stretched out a sick leave or just got the doctor to sign you off for a bit because you were sick of getting up and going every day not because you were actually sick. I am not judging here, I’ve done it myself.

Poor diet, fast food, sedentary lifestyle and low mood (which can be really tough to shake off) are to blame for a lot but how do we help people more effectively without putting everyone on anti depressants.

I don’t want to live in a nanny state where people have to be told what to do. Go for a walk and we’ll pay for your Starbucks just seems crazy to me.

Instead why not tell people you cannot continue to abuse the health service unless you change your behaviour, help get yourself well or pay for the service yourself. At one time not that long ago people knew, good food, plenty of fluids, fresh air (exercise), sleep, a hot water bottle, were the cure alls and only went to the doctor when common sense didn’t work, as a last resort.

I believe doing nothing is the biggest part of the problem. It makes you feel rubbish and worthless. When people go to work they gain so much, self esteem, a good routine, they go to bed when they have to get up, the joy of the pay packet we’ve lost sight of. I’ve heard people say, it doesn’t pay to work. There are so many government schemes and incentives it becomes a full time job applying for and managing them.

Like the store membership cards, you have to be a Nectar expert to get the most vouchers and benefits. People don’t realise when you get moving and eat less you don’t need all the club discounts, you spend a fraction of what you used to.

For me doctors have been trying to get people healthier for years, eat 5 a day, take 10000 steps a day, Veganuary, non of it is working.

Maybe try the tough approach. Cut off services and see if that works better. I was lucky, I had a doctor who told me straight. Carry on and you won’t have the luxury of getting out for a walk, because you’ll be dead. Of course I didn’t like it at the time. But I got over it. I had to think about it. It also made me reluctant to go back to the doctor until I could say look, I listened.

It might not be the done thing, politically correct, telling people the truth, but it worked for me, better than a free cup of coffee or snack would have done.

Devil Wears Prada 2 Oh Dear

Don’t expect the same fashion content, it’s like the same script with way worse clothes and...

Dora Black

2026-07-05T07:58:00.0000000 2026-07-06T06:21:57.2400000

I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed a film on here (looking back this is my 3rd in 10 years) but after all the hype of the release of Devil Wears Prada 2 waiting until it was released on cable to watch it, I needed a little bit of a rant. If you want to watch it and haven’t yet, my advice, wait until it’s £2.99.

I read the reviews before paying Amazon Prime €16 euros to watch the sequel to the classic Devil wears Prada on holiday, which like the Holiday, Bridesmaids, Pretty Woman, Educating Rita (favourite of my mothers from the 1980s) and My Best Friends Wedding, (I love the “Say a little prayer scene, Rupert Everett makes me howl) all films that for me can be watched on repeat I am almost word perfect on.

Don’t get me wrong, the film is cute, and probably way better if you never saw the original. That’s probably everyone with a date of birth later than 2000.

The problem with Devil Wears Prada 2 for true fans of the 2006 original was it’s a dupe. Same lines, same scenes in different costumes, right down to Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) giving gallery friend Lily played by Tracie Thomas a free handbag, only this time it’s an upgrade from Michael Kors to Valentino.

The set up at Runway magazine where Andy gets a new job as feature editor after being fired from her old job at serious newspaper Vanguard (for double the salary) after being presented with an award for journalism, somehow starts the film off with a yeah right and it doesn’t get much better on the credibility scale.

Everything about Devil Wears Prada 2 for me was 70% of the original, even Andy’s drippy love interest Australian property developer whose name escaped me was more drippy than Nate Adrian Grenier, the only original cast member left out of the remake. The career writer twenty years on with her kids, frozen embryos in an egg bank, was a particularly ick moment in the script. It didn’t feel like Andy Sachs of old would do that somehow, an impoverished career journalist wouldn’t have been able to afford it for a start.

Miranda Priestly Meryl Streep had softened, now mad about new love interest played by Kenneth Branagh and Nigel Stanley Tucci had lost his edge too with scene repeats of dishing out the clothes in the magazine closet, admiring Andy’s transition to a new much more stylish team member and the scolding for wanting recognition were all present and correct.

The best line in the whole movie he delivered was a reference to Andy’s clothes “Look What TJ Maxx Dragged in” which was hilarious

For me Emily Blunt as Emily saved the film.

Here the revival of hard as nails first assistant and Andy Sach’s boss in the Devil Wears Prada original really worked and her scenes were constructed with comedic genius and style. She’s was the only one who looked like she worked in fashion to be fair.

Whilst the styling and the fashion on the first film are a reason to watch, the sequel fell way short in the fashion stakes for me, ugly clothes much, (what was that grey checked, belted ballgown) that even cameos from Hollywood stylist Law Roach (who obviously wasn’t consulted when it came to the costuming and styling selections) and pop icon Lady Gaga, couldn’t rescue.

Watch it for curiosity sure, it’s not the worst movie ever, Sienna Spiro’s music definitely helps but it’s not going down in the greatest fashion movies ever history books, some things just cannot be reincarnated and for me Devil Wears Prada was a moment.

You don’t have to take my word for it. I’ve put a link to review from the Film Maven, way more articulate than mine but saying pretty much the same thing.

An Afternoon Alone With Nicolas Rouzard

It was between a Chocolate and Coffee thing and the Raspberry Chantilly Vanilla Cream Tarte

R and R Black

2026-07-04T07:35:00.0000000 2026-07-06T06:19:03.8430000

Table for one. I cannot think of a better way to alleviate the frustration of being stood up than enjoying a cake with Nicolas Rouzard, not literally of course but on too infrequent special occasion visits to the Connaught Hotel I have intended to try the cakes and never actually got in the adjacent patisserie to the hotel. I got wind of a new cake boutique opening on Piccadilly somewhere, actually the Burlington Arcade no 66 - 67 when I look it up, I’ve been watching online, tempted by the beautiful creations. The social media content if you like cakes is mouth watering sublime.

Everything from the attired in red aprons staff, the attention to detail and the see your face in cutlery is special. The lovely unassuming service is noteworthy worthy at Nicolas Rouzard. Even if you don’t like cake particularly these masterpieces are not sweet. The raspberry one I chose, I narrowed it down to two and then the staff made the final decision telling me the raspberry tarte was a best seller.

I sat outside at a reserved table. It made me feel special, although most of the tables inside were occupied when I arrived so it may have just been serendipitous. I do recommend an outside table on a sunny day, especially when alone, I had been stood up by a good friend last minute unable to get out of work to meet me. The cake served two purposes, a pick me up and a luxurious experience or somewhere I had seen and heard about but never actually tried.

All this fabulousness comes at a price. The cakes are works of art in their own right and will cost you £14 each to go, £17 if you want to sit down, plus a discretionary service charge which I imagine few ask to be removed.

If you have coffee or a cold drink to accompany your cakes expect to pay £60 for two.

Quite a few people entered whilst I was enjoying my cake, about half of which left empty handed. Could have been the lack of available tables inside but maybe £20 for an individual cake was over budget.

May sound a lot but when compared to afternoon tea at the Savoy or Claridges where prices start at £95 per person and you have to have a reservation, you cannot just pop in on the fly, it’s the affordable luxury version.

If you are in London and fancy a posh cuppa and a cake this is where I would recommend. Even just for the people watching.

The cakes are delectable, I cannot wait to visit the new Cafe in the Burlington Arcade, close to Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, St James shopping and the world famous Ritz Hotel.

Proper Popcorn - the popcorn that made Wimbledon 2026 the Greatest Ever

Did you catch The Dimitrov Mensik Match get yourself some Proper Popcorn and tune in to I Player

Sahara Mara

2026-07-03T09:13:00.0000000 2026-07-03T10:43:42.7570000

Is it crazy to say I think this Popcorn is the best popcorn in the world. Literally. Most people associate Wimbledon with strawberries and cream after 4 days straight with my iPad attached to my wrist, taking a lot of afternoon bathroom breaks and avoiding my boss at all costs my evenings have been spent eating Proper Popcorn and sipping Heineken zeros. It’s another story but the Stella Artois zeros I ordered from my friendly corner shop, turned into Heineken zeros by mistake and I didn’t have the heart not to buy them as they went to so much trouble. At £4.59 for four they are much cheaper than the big supermarkets. Top tip support your local corner shop and find them going over and above to get you what you need.

I am taking great pleasure in writing this because to go with my zero alcohol, wrong brand for Wimbledon, beer they sold me on some Proper Popcorn. Not a brand I’d heard of or ever tried but I am completely hooked. It is honestly the best, and I mean the best sweet and salty popcorn you have ever tasted.

After I scoffed the whole bag to myself the first night during the Djokovic Wu match up, what a nail biter, I went back for more to watch Serena make her Wimbledon comeback and back on centre court. What a second set before she succumbed to Australian Maya Joint’s relentless pressure in the 3rd. I munched on the Proper popcorn whilst waiting for the post match media. Serena Williams didn’t complete her 15 minute press obligation, I guess when you are a 7 times Wimbledon champ playing on a wild card you can do what you like. Not a bad way to earn £80K after 4 years away from the sport. I wonder if Maya Joint will get the same as Harmony Tan, blocked on social media? Harmony Tan made a surprise revelation, after four years and almost qualifying for this years main draw. Guilled by Serena slipping in on her star status, she revealed after her first round Wimbledon match up in 2022 with Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion blocked her on Instagram. The French tennis player stunned Serena in 3 sets, the final decider going to a very close tie break, a very unexpected first round victory at The All England Club, in three sets.

I went back to the local store on Wednesday after work for more Proper Popcorn and Heineken. No one else is buying it except me and there’s still 7 or 8 four packs left in the fridge. We’ll get Stella Artois Zero next time they assure me. I don’t have the heart to tell them, by the time I’ve bought and drink all this, Wimbledon will be over.

I was excited to see the return of Stefanos Tsitsipas the headband wearing former No. 3 Greek god back in centre court.

He didn’t have his usual fire of old and I found myself being disloyal to Novak, as he took him apart in three sets. Stefanos had his chances and there were definite glimmers of the would be Carlos Alcatraz of old, a spectacular forehand winner that clipped the outer net post and bounced in, such an incredible shot even Djokovic was applauding and the commentary box claiming shot of the tournament but it wasn’t to be.

I munched on more Proper Popcorn and thought about offering him a bowl in consolation. It would have cheered him up a little I am sure.

Friends appeared for the Grigor Dmitrov Hungary Jakob Mensik Czech match up. This time we not only had popcorn and beer and everyone’s money was on the number 15 seed walking it. But no, even after the roof closing incident and subsequent pectoral injury in 2025 when Dmitrov was all set to take out Jannik Sinner, and the 10 minute break that followed the roof on number 1 court being closed again, he was unstoppable defeating Mensik in four sets.

It’s been a thrilling championship so far. Most memorable has been the Proper Popcorn. Not only does it taste absolutely incredible but they are a B corporation caring deeply about the climate, net zero by 2030 and giving their packet design to show case an up and coming artist Kelly Anna London @kellyannalondon

I told you I was a tennis bore for these two weeks of the year. Lucky to live in London only 30 minutes from Wimbledon. Will be heading over next week, no tickets but may join the queue if it’s looking do able, although I did hear people queued for two days to get a ticket for Centre court on Tuesday, to see Serena Williams play, two days, not sure I’d have the stamina for that, maybe with snacks.

Who knows we might be seeing Proper Popcorn with all it’s ethical and healthy guilt free snacking credentials at the championships next year. How funny would it be if it became a thang. I’ll have to try it with champagne and strawberries next.

Move over Robinsons, Evian, Barclays, Rolex and Range Rover, let’s have something Proper. I am sure all the tennis stars would love it too.

Ritz Carlton Abama Tennis Centre and Retreat For Sporty Families Who All Like Something Different

A Sprawling Property On The Beach You Do Not Need To Leave, Tennis, Padel, Cycling, Gym, Spa and...

Briar Black

2026-07-03T06:26:00.0000000 2026-07-03T07:44:53.8500000

We just had 7 days here with the family and everyone was happy. One son played golf, one son played tennis almost every day, my 13 year old daughter spent the week playing Padel tennis and my other son was permanently in the cycling centre. I enjoyed excellent food, wine and peace a quiet and my wife spent her days enjoying the boutiques on the property, in the spa or relaxing by the infinity pool in The Retreat. A rare occurrence, everyone was happy.

Tenerife would not have normally been somewhere we’d have considered for a family holiday but reading community reviews on here we decided to give it a try. I spend quite a bit of time in luxury hotels around the world for work so when we travel as a family I don’t need much if the food’s really good, lunch every day at the Mirador restaurant poolside and dinner at one of the 10 other restaurants on site served me very well.

We dined at both Michelin starred restaurants on the property and the food I couldn’t fault. M.B. The inspiration of Martin Berasategui offers a bold Basque 8 course tasting menu that for foodies will stimulate the senses and give you flavour combinations you haven’t experienced before. In contrast Akira Back is all about Japanese fusion and having just returned from a trip to Tokyo where the markets and food options were as diverse as they were incredible, the sea food and fish especially this food was exciting and authentic I thought.

You get around the property by golf cart. Although make sure you book before you arrive as they have a limited number available. I hired one for the entire stay, cost about €35 a day. Without it you’d struggle walking everywhere, the Tennis centre and Spa both at the top of the property and at least a 10-15 minute walk away from the Retreat area, a members only smaller pool serving complimentary afternoon snacks, beers and wines.

It is a better location than the main big pools in the middle of the property we thought, easier to access everything including the beach, with complimentary ice creams and drinks also available at anytime throughout the day in the adjacent bar area.

My wife told me the spa treatments were good although she did struggle to get appointments at the times she wanted later in the day, they were very busy and didn’t manage to get a hair appointment. You have to use the app on the phone to book and I don’t think she gave enough notice to be fair.

The great thing about this place is it’s really big and they offer a lot if you have grown kids who like sport. They also have a kids club for little kids I saw signs for, there were no children in The Retreat so they have managed to make this a family place where everyone is taken care of separately which really worked for us.

We did it all on a British Airways package and for two rooms, Retreat access, spa, Tennis, Golf, and Michelin star food and wine the whole thing cost me about £20K in high season. But we literally did everything. The restaurant bills alone were close to £1000 for 6 of us.

We booked a two bedroom suite in the retreat for us and our youngest which brought the cost down a bit. I prefer giving my older sons their own space and us more privacy which does add up if you have a big family.

We all really enjoyed the hotel. The staff were great and there’s lots to do. I’d say the reason to return is the tennis and golf facilities which are excellent but do come at a price especially if you choose to have instruction coaching during your stay.