Table of contents for Issue 748 in Grazia

FROM THAT KILLER hug in Game Of Thrones to the ‘kneel’ scene in Fleabag, we’re in a golden age of TV – with appointment-to-view shows leading cultural conversations. Which is why the Emmys have never seemed more relevant. Happy news, then, that this week saw the Brits sweep the board – and the picture of a celebratory Phoebe Waller-Bridge, cocktail in hand, sweep through your Instagram feed. But what’s it really like to attend the Hollywood ceremony? Fleabag star Sian Clifford gives us her diary of the night on page 14 – and pays tribute to her long-term friend and collaborator Phoebe… @hattie_brett / feedback@graziamagazine.co.uk…

Let’s end the abuse of gagging orders “It’s two years since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke – when it was revealed he’d used non-disclosure agreements to silence women over sexual misconduct claims. To mark the anniversary, campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed is launching a protest to raise awareness of the thousands of women a year told to sign NDAs after suffering pregnancy and maternity discrimination at work. No one should be allowed to buy a victim’s silence; when NDAs are used in this way, they conceal bad behaviour. The #MeToo movement shone a light on abuse of power that’s widespread across many workplaces – now let’s make sure gagging orders can’t be abused again.”…

The Duchess of Sussex’s ‘tourdrobe’ in South Africa has been a masterclass in fashion diplomacy. She borrowed a trick from sister-in-law Kate and recycled outfits. The blue shirt-waister by Veronica Beard got its first outing on last year’s Australia tour. She wore the same Castaner espadrille wedges with both of day one’s dresses – the first a leopard-print wrap by Mayamiko, a brand working in partnership with the charity the Mayamiko Trust, the second the shirt-waister – and wore earrings by Cape Town jeweller Nina Bosch several times during the trip. Princess Diana wore suitably casual clothes to visit landmine victims in Angola in 1997 – and Meghan followed suit, wearing a $120 Everlane jumpsuit, so she could sit on the floor with mothers and their children at an HIV…

OUTSIDE THOMAS COOK’S headquarters last week, tearful employees hugged one another after learning that the 178-year-old travel company had collapsed. The scenes were even more distressing given reports of the firm’s mostly male executives making millions before its demise. A stark contrast was immediately apparent: most of those being made redundant were women. With female employees making up 72% of Thomas Cook’s 9,000 British staff, it was another case of a company’s downfall, and resulting major loss of jobs, disproportionately affecting women. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES Former flight attendant Nicola Teeling spoke of feeling ‘numb’ after becoming unemployed. A mother of three whose husband died last year, Nicola, 38, had worked for the firm for three years. ‘It’s devastating,’ she said. ‘It was such a shock.’ She’d heard rumours that the…

THERE’S A SCENE in Mean Girls when ‘The Plastics’ stand in front of a mirror and pick apart the things they hate most about their bodies. I’ve seen this film about 10,000 times (I am, at the best of times, extremely basic) and every time I watch this scene I imagine myself standing alongside Regina George, looking in the mirror and saying, ‘Ew! My mental health is just like SOOOO disgusting.’ My brain is the only part of my body I’ve ever truly hated. I’ve spent the majority of my life trying to cover it up. I hide it at parties, I smother it with concealer, I pull back from relationships to stop anyone finding out that, deep down, underneath the clothes and the pink hair and the smile –…

ON THE MORNING of her 36th birthday, journalist Rachel Syme opened her laptop and, to her 69k followers, wrote this tweet: ‘I feel like 33-38 is a really tough age for a lot of women I know; feels like so many big decisions and future plans have to be squeezed into this lil window; just me?’ Her message collected nearly 10,000 likes and she received hundreds of replies from men and women all over the world. It’s a feeling I could identify with, too. When I was in my twenties I felt like I was standing at the end of a very long corridor, and all these doors were open to me. Maybe I’d wander down the ‘marriage’ door at some point. That glittering ‘career’ door looked pretty shiny. The…

PHOTOGRAPH AMIT LENNON HAIR & MAKE-UP: FIONA MOORE AT TERRI MANDUCA USING BARE MINERALS AND BABYLISS. CLAIRE WEARSBLOUSE, RIXO. FOR HELP AND SUPPORT VISIT: UEAADOPTEDPARENTS.CO.UK; CALL THE NATIONAL ADOPTION HELPLINE ON 07904 793974 I CRIED EVERY day for 30 days after my son was born. The birth was traumatic, I struggled with breastfeeding, and I felt I wasn’t coping. I was diagnosed with postnatal depression, but the waiting lists for counselling were too long, and I was given antidepressants. After a few months, I decided to have some private therapy, which I found very helpful. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I realised my reaction to becoming a mother may have had something to do with me being adopted. I was two weeks old when I was…

HOW I WORE THEM THEN… I HAVE NEVER been a trend shopper. And even as a 20-something, I preferred to buy vintage. The old ‘pile them high and sell them cheap’ culture is thankfully on its way out. The future has to be about more conscious shopping. You should buy shapes that you know suit you, try not to be trend-driven and buy good quality. My mum was a vintage dealer with a carefully edited emporium of Victoriana, ’70s frocks and ’50s Hawaiian shirts that we sold to punks, goths and psychobillies. My sister and I used to trawl jumble sales and car boot sales with my mum and dad. It was like gaining access to Aladdin’s cave. We were first in the queue and, as soon as those doors…

Should you want to try products, be sure that they’re pH-balanced, free of alcohols, parabens, phthalates, fragrance, foaming agents and always keep it external. FUR Fur oil, £46, net-a-porter.com This cult oil (famously loved by Emma Watson) is filled with hydrating jojoba, tea tree and clary sage, known to quell irritation. It was designed to be applied post-shave or wax for bump-free bikini lines. The Perfect V Beauty Mist, £23, harveynichols.com Rose water isn’t just great for the face. Combined with antioxidants like cloudberry and bilberry, it also makes skin more resilient, reducing the risk of shaving rash. Optibac Probiotics for Women, £17.99, optibacprobiotics.co.uk Ensuring yeasts and bacteria that cause things like thrush, cystitis and bacterial vaginosis don’t get a look…

SMALL, LARGE, ROUND, teardrop or barely-there, this month we’re all being encouraged to get better acquainted with our breasts and to start talking about them. Estée Lauder’s 2019 UK & Ireland Breast Cancer Campaign has revealed that one in five women under 40 have never checked their breasts, with one in three unsure of what to look for. It was also discovered that one in five women find talking about the topic embarrassing. The initiative is being supported by the Breast Cancer Now charity, Estée Lauder ambassador Elizabeth Hurley and Girl vs Cancer’s Lauren Mahon, who will be encouraging women of all ages to start habitually checking their breasts and to open up conversations with friends and family to spread the word. Not sure how to check your breasts? You’re…

To get involved in the my John Lewis Beauty Weekend and enjoy a host of other beauty benefits, simply become a my John Lewis member (if you aren’t already). It’s free to join and only takes a minute to sign up at johnlewis.com/ our-services/my-john-lewis. Masterclass tickets are £40 (£20 redeemable against a purchase from the hosting brand). Panel and influencer talks are £20. Both include a goodie bag worth over £100 and a glass of prosecco. For more information visit johnlewis.com/myjlbeautyweekend.…

PHOTOS: ED MILES WOULD YOU DRINK a liquid meal? Sounds revolting, but millions do. I’m not talking about whizzing up last night’s stir-fry in a blender (that really would be revolting) or throwing a few things in a blender to make a berry smoothie. I’m talking about a tasty chocolate milkshake drink that has been expertly created and proven to contain all the nutrients you require for a meal in one bottle. No washing-up, zero prep time, no shop to visit, no need to sit and eat. It would mean you could get that presentation done, fit in that gym session, have that manicure, all safe in the knowledge that breakfast, lunch or dinner is covered. This company does exist, it’s called Huel and it has sold 50 million bottles…

Luke Edward Hall x Habitat Luke Edward Hall’s collaboration with Habitat, out this week, gives us a mix of a few of his favourite things – gorgeously bright colours, wide stripes, line-drawn faces and, er, serpents. Luke is part of a coterie of London-based designers who are hugely influential in modern interiors right now, their love for romance and whimsy combined with full-on colour and pattern fuelling the trend for maximalism. ‘When the world is grim and grey, maximalism is about fantasy,’ says Luke. ‘I love interiors that sweep you off your feet, that help you forget reality, and maximalism provides that. My hallway is painted yellow and, when I come home on a grey, wet day, it makes me happy.’ Luke’s star has risen fast. One year after setting…

PULITZER HOTEL Set within linked 17th-century canal houses that mix old and new to create a stylish and characterful interior. From £262pn. pulitzeramsterdam.com VAN GOGH MUSEUM Explore the world’s largest collection of works by the late, great creator. Try not to spend all your cash in the gift shop. vangoghmuseum.nl/en VONDELPARK The largest park in Amsterdam. Whizz around on hire bikes (FYI, much safer than riding on the roads). FOODHALLEN A buzzy place to eat with live music in the evening – choose from over 30 delicious stands. foodhallen.nl/amsterdam EYE FILM INSTITUTE A cool, interactive museum, shop and cinema, showcasing the very best of cinematic history. eyefilm.nl/en BOEKIE WOEKIE Perhaps the quirkiest bookshop in the world. Artist-run, self-financed and jam-packed with beautiful books. boewoe.home.xs4all.nl ANNE FRANK HOUSE A beautifully kept…

I used to come home, then watch telly and just lie there. But it’s different now, because I had a baby. Now, you have to tend to the child. You can’t escape from the bath-book-bed routine, which has to happen every night. I put her down by 7pm, then the evening is mine. I’ll have some food with my husband (CNN reporter Phil Black). At the moment it’s been delivery for five nights out of seven. I’m awful at cooking. Even reading, I find difficult. I like reading before bed, but I’ll sort of pick up my book, read one sentence and go, ‘Oh I’m too tired to concentrate.’ I find audio books are better. I try and listen to audio books in the day when I’m on the move,…

Thank you for your piece about workplace sexual harassment. I have experienced it at almost every company I’ve been at. It has always been verbal, whether comments said directly to me or around me (but loud enough to hear), which makes me very lucky compared to many others. I wasn’t aware of the consultation and completed the online form immediately. Attitudes and laws concerning harassment need to change and your article highlighted a way to help. Claire THE OTHER MOTHER I’ve just read Things You Only Know If… You’re The Other Mother (23 Sept). Jen Brister’s experiences resonated with me after seeing my sister go through all the same emotions but proving absolutely that she is a mum to her two babies. But, several years on and following her relationship’s…

RUMOURS THE BRIT Awards are considering abolishing categories ‘Best Male’ and ‘Best Female’ artist to accommodate musicians like Sam Smith (who recently requested that, in accordance with their gender non-binary identity, the pronouns ‘they’ and ‘them’ be applied in any discussion of, or reference to, them) seems sensible. Pop music is the most delicious art form of our age, and gender doesn’t determine its quality or dictate the level at which it’s practised. I’ve definitely wondered – in the loose, rogue, feminist-ish capacity within which I operate – why we persist with those divisions anyway. I would never want to choose between the pulsing magnificence of Britney’s Hit Me Baby, and the sexy spite of Bieber’s Love Yourself – but I see they can definitely be compared, their relative pros…

FOR A SPLIT SECOND, after being announced as the winner of the award for Lead Actress In A Drama Series at last Sunday’s Emmy awards, Jodie Comer covered her face with her hands in total shock. Whispering ‘Oh my God’ to herself, she made her way to the stage to accept the award, which she had won for her role as Villanelle in Killing Eve. In doing so, she’d edged out her co-star Sandra Oh and not unimpressive fellow nominees: Game Of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke, How To Get Away With Murder’s Viola Davis, Ozark’s Laura Linney, This Is Us’s Mandy Moore, House Of Cards’ Robin Wright. In fact, Jodie was so sure she wouldn’t win that she didn’t fly her mum and dad out to LA from Liverpool for the…

AFTER MONTHS OF the Brexit boys’ club, its macho banter marking the stalest of political stalemates, a breath of fresh air arrived last week in the form of three women who calmly and efficiently took back control of the agenda and ended the prorogation of Parliament. Whether you are pro- or anti-Brexit, a remain-and-reformer or a Canada-plus-plus-plus (no, me neither), you can hardly have failed to be cheered by Baroness Brenda Hale, Gina Miller and Joanna Cherry QC. Between them they have changed the course of history – Hale led the panel of judges behind the ruling, while Miller and Cherry campaigned for the legal challenge – and put the achievements of the female sex into the heart of the biggest political conversation in decades. Post-referendum debate in the UK…

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES DID YOU HAVE this summer’s It dress? Even if you didn’t buy it – and were scuba diving in remotest Costa Rica for the past three months – you can’t have missed Zara’s polka-dot number. Not only was it on every street corner, but it was all over Instagram (#hot4thespot). Due to popular demand, last week Zara re-released it, this time in white spots on black, instead of black on white. It’s still long-sleeved, still hits that oh-so-flattering sweet spot just above the ankle and is still guaranteed to sell out. If you haven’t already stopped reading to whip out your credit card, our advice would be not to discount the other patterned options out there. Trust us, there are plenty of dresses to go dotty over,…

‘I CAN TRY SITTING down, I just don’t know how fanny-showing this skirt is,’ says Anna Maxwell Martin, leaning on a wooden stool and high-kicking one leg. While Anna says she hates photo shoots – ‘So awkward for an actor, having to stand there and be yourself ’ – today she’s happily hamming it up for the camera with Sharon Horgan to celebrate the triumphant return of hit BBC comedy Motherland . Where the first series introduced us to the hilarious and painfully recognisable world of playground politics and competitive mums, the second builds on the tightness of the friendship between ever-frazzled Julia, played by Anna, laid-back Liz (Diane Morgan) and adorable, wet Kevin (Paul Ready), plus acerbic frenemy Amanda (Lucy Punch). Co-written by Sharon Horgan, the gags come thick…

IT’S THE FLOWER you see first – a huge white plastic chrysanthemum attached to the side of her towering bun. I’m sitting on the rooftop of LA’s Petit Ermitage hotel and Alysia Montaño, 33, runs over and goes in for a bosomy hug like a long-lost friend, before plonking herself down and ordering a burger with curly fries. She’s a tour de force at five months pregnant with her third child, and it’s immediately clear why she was a formidable opponent to Nike and Asics – the billion-dollar companies who she outed in May for their poor support of female athletes. ‘I always wear the flower,’ says the six-time US Outdoor Champion, who in 2014 ran an 800m race at eight months pregnant. ‘It’s to assert my femininity in what…

PHOTOS: GETTY, INSTAGRAM/JJMARTINMILAN, LADOUBLEJ, JASON LLOYD-EVANS. FRIEZE.COM Raise your knit game. Pringle of Scotland x H&M’s new collab is a warm welcome to autumn. Tackle the rugby shirt – off the pitch and into your wardrobe. Head to Frieze. Take your style inspiration from some great women artists. Invest in Gabriela Hearst’s MyTheresa capsule: 20% of proceeds are donated to Save The Children. Meet Pepper. This season’s cutest showgoer is the dog of JJ Martin, founder of maximal Milanese label La Double J. Get physical. Veja’s debut ecological running shoe The Condor is the perfect excuse to work up a sweat.…

WINGED BLACK LINER is to make-up what a Chanel bag is to street style – a perennial staple that will see you through every eventuality. But many of us avoid a feline flick for fear of it going awry. Rest assured: ‘Glamorous yet simple, winged liner can be done in numerous ways, so there’s a version to suit everyone,’ promises make-up artist Andrew Gallimore. ‘Done right, it gives the illusion that your lashes are thicker at the root, so it frames the eye. How you apply it and how much you apply will help you achieve your perfect fit.’ To nail the basics, make black your go-to. ‘Black suits everyone; it works with all skin tones.’ Finally, practice makes perfect. ‘Whether it’s a big tick, a thin straight line or…

Time for action! Dr Zoe Williams explains how to check your breasts at home… 1. Stand topless in front of a mirror. 2. Put your hands down by your side and first, look for discolouration in the breast, any changes in shape, size, contour or any specific nipple changes – to the skin, if they are inverted or if there is discharge. 3. Now, turn your body and check the sides of your breasts too. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 but with your hands above your head, then again with your hands on your hips. 5. Now, to check for any lumps, use three flat fingers to press and feel the tissue between the skin and the ribs. Examine the whole breast area, from the collarbone down to cover…

ENJOY THE JOYRIDE Designed to simulate the experience of running on grass, Nike’s Joyride collection with mesh rubber and leather look the bomb too. £180, net-a-porter.co.uk ON-THE-GO GLOW I am never without (M)anasi 7 All Over Colour, which uses wild, crafted ingredients. Its latest shade, Bisque, is a healthy flush in a pot. £39, manasi7.com POCKET PROTECTION Fiamma Perfume Oil For Insight from A Conscious Edit is a blend of neroli and warm floral essential oils. Inhale and note how stress levels drop. £38, contentbeauty wellbeing.com…

Part of one of the world’s biggest media businesses, Bauer Media, The Bauer Academy is a Government-approved training provider with an exceptional track record in delivering training for both Bauer Media – publishers of Grazia – and clients including ITV, the7stars, Sue Ryder, JP Morgan and Immediate Media. The Bauer Academy is passionate about developing knowledge and skills, creativity and confidence in learners from a diverse range of backgrounds, from established professionals to under-represented and underprivileged groups. Programmes encompass digital skills, leadership, sales, content production and marketing. Course content was developed in consultation with De Montfort University. THE COURSES LEADERSHIP: WOMEN IN BUSSINESS (2 DAYS, 13–14 NOVEMBER) ◆ Explore the importance of diversity in building a successful business ◆ Learn techniques to challenge unconscious bias ◆ Examine different styles of…

IT’S NO ACCIDENT that RuPaul’s Drag Race appeared on screen a decade ago, the year after Lady Gaga arrived with Just Dance. Both took the plot points of New York drag counterculture and armed them with full commercial whack. For audiences, ahem, abreast with the material of Lady Bunny and co, the elevation felt overdue. For those unfamiliar, a technicolour world of cheapness and beauty, wit and wonder was tipped all over television. The British iteration of Drag Race is snippy, quippy and zippy. Ten queens introduce themselves against a Union Jack backdrop daubed with the word ‘Werk’. In one round, they dress up as Queen Elizabeth. The metamorphosis of Birmingham drag goliath Sum Ting Wong is an ingenious creativity flashpoint that crystalises Drag Race’s essence of irreverent primetime queerness.…

Charlotte’s experience (Now is the time to speak out about workplace harassment, 30 Sept) no doubt sounded familiar to a lot of readers, myself included. The Harvey Weinstein scandal has highlighted a surprising ignorance about an issue that affects every workplace. At my last job I was subject to indecent remarks, unwanted touching and demands for sex. I did report it, but it was put down to ‘a bit of banter’. The humiliation I suffered was anything but so trivial. I wish I’d had the strength of my convictions to take it further, but I just left.…

1. Up LENNY KRAVITZ Last week, lost some (admittedly excellent) sunglasses, called upon social media to help him locate them. FIND THE SHADES, WORLD! LENNY NEEDS THEM (and we need Lenny happy). 2. New in KATIE TAYLOR Undisputed world champion, first ever woman boxer to headline a fight at the Manchester Arena on 2 November. We love us a lady boxer. You know that. 3. New in DAME D E I R D R E HUTTON Chair of the CAA, currently dealing with the downfall of Thomas Cook. Infinitely chic, but also: you know how very few grown-ups seem to be in charge any more? She’s one of the few who is. 4. Non-mover BILLY PORTER AT THE EMMYS Do not underestimate how tough it is to deliver the goods…

I arrived in LA on Friday afternoon when the melee of the Emmys was already in full swing. There was a throng of parties to attend but I wanted to try and pace myself in the run up to Sunday! There was a reception for the nominated actors first up, with a presentation that’s a bit like a school assembly – you each go up to receive a certificate and have your picture taken as a big gang. I was on stage with some of my heroes and we were all giggling like naughty children. It was very surreal. Then I went on to a party for Phoebe, celebrating the extraordinary success of both Fleabag and Killing Eve. It was the first time the Fleabag family had been back together…

IT HAS BEEN just over two years since Rihanna quietly started dating Saudi billionaire Hassan Jameel. In that time we have seen the 31-year-old singer begin to talk about her love life and her future in a way we never had before. Just this summer she said of their relationship, ‘It matters to me. It was like, “I need to make time for this.” Just like I nurture my businesses, I need to nurture this as well. I’ll shut things down for two days, three days at a time.’ There have been persistent rumours that she and Hassan, who she met in summer 2017, are already engaged. Yet, despite her new, happy life, there is one shadow from her past that Rihanna is seemingly struggling to escape: her ex Chris…

PHOTOS: GETTY DEMI MOORE HAS spent well over half her life as one of the most talked-about women in Hollywood. But her first memoir Inside Out – ghostwritten by filmmaker and author Miranda July – reveals an often tragic private life behind the glamorous scenes. In the book, which came out last week, Demi reveals that she was raped at 15 by a man who claimed to have paid her mother $500. She also details multiple substance abuse battles (in 1984 she did so much cocaine while on a film shoot that she almost ‘burned a hole through my nostrils’) and three divorces: from Freddy Moore, Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher. It is Ashton who Demi digs into the deepest in the book. She describes splitting from him in 2011…

HOTOS: GOFF, SPLASH, GETTY, SHUTTERSTOCK The winner is… “Kendall Jenner in wet-look Richard Quinn, Indya Moore in white-hot LV… but the fashion gong at the Emmys has to go to Gwendoline Christie in papal Gucci Cruise.” Hot from Paris “The Dior FROW served up serious #outfitgoals (thanks J-Law and Julianne Moore), but also good sense. Jorja Smith’s puffball dress came with a hood (a hood!) and almost looked like a high-fashion waterproof. Weather, do your worst.” Bella boots Bella Hadid stopped for lunch in a baggy trouser suit with a side serving of stompy boots. Delicious. It’s shoe-time! Iggy Pop in diamanté-studded flatforms is all kinds of dazzling. Sienna, love, it’s time to up your shoe game… Naomi’s monochrome magic Naomi Scott’s Givenchy gown has bows, cut-outs and a slit,…

‘Black history is not just for October’ Shadow Women and Equalities Minister Dawn Butler explains why Boris Johnson could learn a thing or two this Black History Month “There is an issue with Black History Month and there’s a clue in the title – it only lasts a month. Trying to fit this vast history into a few weeks just doesn’t work. Right now, when the country is being run by a Prime Minister who is the embodiment of white privilege, it’s more important than ever that everyone learns about what makes Britain how it is today. Including Boris Johnson. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK ‘Racism and bigotry are being legitimised’ You don’t have to look far to see why education on this subject is so imperative. Inside and outside of Westminster our…

‘If he helps with the housework, there’s sex’ Emma*, 38, is a beautician and lives in York THERE WAS A STUNNED silence around the table, my friends open-mouthed with what I assumed was a mixture of shock, disbelief and disapproval. So, what was the confession I’d just made, admittedly after several glasses of wine, which had left everyone so incredulous? That I withhold sex from my partner until he does his share of the household chores and DIY. I jokingly call it ‘shags for sweeping’ – others call it ‘choreplay’ – but I’m totally serious when I say that, unless he’s pulled his weight at home, he’s not getting any. Call it unromantic, or mercenar y. One friend even said it sounded a bit ‘abusive’. But I don’t care. It…

WEEKEND ‘UNIFORM’ WE SAY… Look for an oversized gilet rendered in chocolate leather for your ideal trans-seasonal staple. NOT-SO-SHABBY CHIC WE SAY… Switch out a pleated skirt for a pair of longline (faux) leather culottes – chic, with just the right amount of attitude. EASY GLAMOUR WE SAY… A split-hem skirt that hits just below the knee can be dressed up for the office and down for 6pm drinks. CLASSIC VA-VA-VOOM EDITED BY CHARLOTTE PAVITT AND LILLIAN SESIGUZEL. WORDS: NATALIE HAMMOND. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES WE SAY… Nothing says ‘sharp’ like a short-sleeved shirtdress in kapow! red leather.…

‘I perfect the shape and angle of the flick with the eye open.’ Experiment with your preferred finish, such as a gel and fine-tipped brush. MAC COSMETICS SYNTHETIC PRECISE EYE LINER BRUSH, £16.50 Best for monolids ‘Opt for a long-wearing liquid liner that won’t transfer easily with wear.’ LAURA MERCIER CAVIAR INTENSE INK WATERPROOF LIQUID EYELINER, £22 Best for hooded eyes A super-fine line, flicked up at the outer corner (towards your brow tip) will define without overpowering. BOBBI BROWN LONGWEAR GEL LINER, £20…

There are three ways to create colour-wheel manis. The first is to buy a colour spectrum to match your A/W wardrobe or use what you have. The second is to blend the colours yourself (eek!). The third is to relax and leave it all to the pros. Colour wheeling ‘Lining up your pre-owned polishes is the easiest way to see which blend works. We tend to choose the same shades anyway, so you might not need to buy more to get started. If you are splashing out, go for greys, khakis, blues or rich reds,’ advises nail expert Michelle Humphrey. Custom blending ‘First, pick a strong shade that you want to work from. Create a small puddle, then use a cuticle stick to drop in a small amount of either…

FOOD STYLING: NENA FOSTER (NENAFOSTER.COM) AS YOU AND I well know, modern women are not allowed to talk about courgettes without considering the extent to which they make convincing spaghetti. As a professional carb crusader I wouldn’t want to give this ideology airtime, but what do you know? Knock me down with a spiraliser, I just did it. I put these courgette fries to you, not because they’re healthier than chips (I doubt they are – they’re battered and deep-fried), but because they’re delicious. If they weren’t I would not encourage you to engage in the scorching, spitting, perilous faff of deep-frying; I’d tell you to put a potato waffle in your toaster. But anyway, orange isn’t the new black and sweetcorn fritters aren’t the new smashed avo. Everything is…

Catch up on ER Friends isn’t the only US TV great currently celebrating its 25th year. Before George Clooney was George F****** Clooney, he was swoonsome silvering paediatrician Doug Ross. In honour of the birthday, all seasons are rolling out, one by one. They are full-stop wonderful and so is he. Season One on All4, now Watch live Catherine The Great Dame Helen Mirren is the other queen stepping on to screen this week, in a handsome HBO retelling of the 18th-century Russian empress who toppled her own husband. Who better to step on to the treadmill of an original exponent of some absolutely true girl power? Thursday, 9pm, Sky Atlantic Wallow in The $50million Art Swindle Vanessa Engle’s documentary on the crimes of former French art dealer Michel Cohen…

It’s OK to spend money on boring things that make your life better. A bin that clicks shut can be satisfying, plus it’s practical. Don’t feel bad if you rely on social media to keep in touch. Ask yourself, ‘How else will I stay in contact with my second cousin once removed from Timbuktu?’ Follow people whose homes give you pleasure – on Instagram, that is. Whether it’s a house full of giant fluffy animals or Mrs Hinch’s spotless Essex pad, enjoy. Try the Pomodoro technique, by breaking down work projects into 25-minute chunks of intense concentration. After four chunks, you can allow yourself a longer break. Find your well – a person, place or activity that can fill you up when you’re feeling empty.…