Table of contents for Issue 899 in Grazia

YOU’VE BEEN READING… Our ultimate guide to all the best and most bingeable shows to watch this year was a must-read. WATCHING… The trailer for Molly-Mae’s upcoming tell-all documentary piqued your interest. COMMENTING ON… ‘I’m [..] thinking of the many victims whose stories often remain in the shadows. We share the same battle’ GISÉLE PELICOT You were moved by Gisèle Pelicot’s powerful words following the French rape trial that shook the world. BUYING… North Face x SKIMS is the limited edition collaboration your winter wardrobe needs Just in time for ski season, you pounced on the sell-out The North Face x Skims collab.…

Employers should have formal policies in place to help workers who are undergoing fertility treatment, the Chartered Management Institute has said, warning that businesses are increasingly losing talented employees by failing to support them. Measures could include flexible working, paid time off to attend appointments or compassionate leave. These policies can’t come soon enough. One in six couples are affected by infertility, yet the topic remains taboo in the workplace. Fertility treatment takes a huge emotional and physical toll on women, and we should never be made to feel like we’re failing in the workplace as a result.…

Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie It’s been over a decade since her last novel, and this is 2025’s biggie. Set between Nigeria and America, we follow four women’s lives, loves and friendships. Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld Short stories from the whipsmart author spanning midlife and middle-class problems. And we check in with Lee from Prep at her 30-year school reunion. Gatsby by Jane Crowther A clever, gender-flipped, modern-day retelling of the classic: Jay Gatsby is an influencer and Nic Carraway the wannabe writer in her thrall. Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski A trophy wife reconnects with her teen love and glimpses the life she could have had. This summer’s smart beach read, with shades of Pineapple Street and The Paper Palace. Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis A darkly…

THIS MONTH, THE presidential inauguration will go down in history. For the first time in 140 years, a President will regain office having won, lost and won back again the keys to the White House. It is not just Donald Trump’s return that is being eagerly anticipated by Washington insiders. His wife Melania, who was an enigmatic figure during Trump’s first term, will also be back in a job that some say she never wanted in the first place and at times hated. The incoming First Lady has never done anything by convention, but says herself that this time will be vastly different to eight years ago. Then, the Trump family had not necessarily expected to win and Melania in particular was woefully unprepared for the spotlight that would accompany…

1. ADD A FLASH OF COLOUR Oatmilk-latte dressing has had its day and we’re now all about colour, kind of. Finding one focal piece, such as a red scarf, blue socks or orange shoes will liven up any look, even if you’re a fan of an all-neutral outfit. 2. LEAN INTO LOUD LAYERING It’s time to shop your wardrobe: start by clashing together your favourites. Love that summer dress? Layer it over a roll neck and jeans. Got a party-ready sequin mini? Pair with leggings and a chunky knit and wear it all year. 3. BEG, BORROW OR STEAL FROM YOUR FAMILY The oversized look is absolutely in (just ask Hailey Bieber). So, if your clothes fit just right, try borrowing a blazer or jacket from a family member for…

Email us at feedback@graziamagazine.co.uk Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GraziaUK LONELY AT CHRISTMAS Reading How do you navigate Christmas when you’re estranged from your mum? (24 Dec) made me cry. I have been estranged from my daughter for five years. My parting words to her were, ‘Don’t be a stranger.’ She smiled sadly, gave me a hug and walked away. People have the right to choose what’s best for themselves. I can’t understand how my daughter could possibly think or feel that life without me in it is better, but I have to respect her wishes and hope that somewhere out there she’s living her best life and sometimes missing me as much as I still miss her. Lisa…

I GROW INCREASINGLY fascinated by the impact Ozempic[1] is having on society. I can’t remember any drug hitting us this hard: physically, emotionally, culturally. The biggest reveal of all? That so many people – so many women – are still so fixated on being thin. Never mind your feminism. Never mind your body positivity. The ideal of thinness holds most of us so tightly in its thrall that, when it’s offered to us in the form of a weekly, expensive, privately-prescribed jab, which comes with a host of possible side effects and which hasn’t been used as an aid to weight loss for long enough for anyone to fully understand the long-term health implications… All we can think is: ‘Where can I get it, and how quick?’ Do I think…

WHILE THE THOUGHT of getting ‘properly’ dressed – suited and booted – is appealing, reality often gets in the way, ie, sitting, post shower, wrapped in a towel for far too long until, bang, you’ve got five minutes to get out of the door. So, instead of wearing something neatly pressed and tailored, resort to the old faithful: jeans and a jumper. Comfortable and quick, it’s a failsafe formula, but sometimes even a classic needs fresh oomph. Enter XXL cuffed jeans, already a fashion favourite and set to be one of 2025’s most coveted denim silhouettes. The cut – high-waisted, slightly flared – is a flattering shape for almost all. Heels are a prerequisite, guaranteeing polish, but you don’t need sky-scrapers; a small heeled ankle boot will suffice. To nail…

HOLLY WOOD’S MOST protracted divorce has come to an end. On 30 December, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie reached a settlement after eight years of legal stalemate. But it’s not quite curtain call; the divorce settlement is separate to the ongoing tussle over the former spouses’ vineyard, Chateau Miraval, and the trial over whether Jolie had the legal right to sell her shares in it is still set for April. Confirming news of the settlement, Jolie’s lawyer James Simon said, ‘This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.’ Pitt’s team has not yet publicly commented. ‘Angelina hates the fact it’s gone on this long and can’t wait to put it all…

CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN AND I are bonding over crisps; specifically, our shared love of beef Hula Hoops. ‘Stop it!’ she exclaims when I profess mine. ‘Those are my favourite crisps of all time. Now let’s discuss this in full detail. Do you like the puffed ones or the regular? The large bag or the mini?’ It could be a conversation straight out of The Traitors, a bonding exercise designed to lull your opponents into a false sense of trust by mirroring their taste in snacks. Or maybe I’ve just watched too much Traitors and have the show on the brain. I wouldn’t be the only one. Launched at the end of 2022, TV’s most Machiavellian game of wits soon had the nation hooked, watching avidly as 22 players indulged in intense…

*NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED. AS TOLD TO ALICE HALL IT’S BEEN SIX years since I first reported my rape to the police and I still wake up in the night, drenched in sweat, replaying the trial in my head. Flashes of being scrutinised in front of a courtroom full of strangers come flooding back when I’m least expecting it. I could be out with friends and suddenly I’ll hear the defence lawyer’s question: ‘Where were your legs at the time?’ I was raped by my ex-partner in 2015. It was horrific, but I am more traumatised by the investigation and subsequent court case. I speak with a stammer now, which started soon after I went through the court process. I’m not as sociable as I was; I’ve become withdrawn around…

To live in the public eye as FLOTUS means having to endure endless scrutiny of your wardrobe, and the soon-to-be-again First Lady had her fair share of sartorial dissection during Trump’s first term. So, will her wardrobe choices have changed? As she intimated in her memoir, there’s been a personal departure from her husband’s policies on immigrants and women’s bodies. She was also notably absent during the election campaign, so can we expect a new, liberated Melania? Probably not. Once a fashion girl, as FLOTUS she underwent a shift with the help of her stylist Hervé Pierre Braillard. Sometimes they caused an affront (think the Zara jacket with the slogan ‘I really don’t care, do u?’ which she wore for a visit to a child migrant centre in 2018), other…

Surfer, retreat founder and all-round cool girl Lindsey Holland has mastered dressing for her height. Here, she shares her top tips for tall dressing, from alteration advice to the best brands to reach for. A GREAT PAIR OF JEANS WILL BECOME A REAL WARDROBE STAPLE I live in denim, so you’ve come to the right place for jeans advice, and it’s taken me years to narrow it down. My go-to brands are Slvrlake, Agolde, Goldsign and Levi’s. Vintage denim shopping is hit and miss, and you’ll have to dedicate some serious time to try it on, but once you know your shape, you’ll be able to pick a pair up and know on sight if they’re going to work. A superpower, if you will! DON’T BE AFRAID TO NOT SHOP…

1. PAMPER YOUR VAGUS NERVE TO BEAT STRESS CRAVING CALM? Think vagus, baby! ‘Stress will no longer be something we simply cope with; we will actively manage it via vagus nerve stimulation,’ says Jane Ollis, medical biochemist, environmental scientist and founder of MindSpire. ‘Stretching from your brain stem to your abdomen, the vagus nerve controls your parasympathetic nervous system, regulating heart rate, breathing and digestion. Stimulating it is like giving your nervous system a spa day.’ Tech like MindSpire and Nurosym deliver gentle electrical pulses to the nerve and integrate with wearables, but DIY options include slow-paced breathing, cold showers and singing (belting out Beyoncé totally counts). 2. PERPETUAL SPF This is the year SPF will channel main character energy. It should already have the lead role in your skincare,…

TURN TABLES This style of coffee table usually comes with a designer price tag, but influencer Nicky Behshad (@homebynicky) made this stunning number (left) with six Ikea Blanda Matt serving bowls, a super-cheap table cut to size (plywood or MDF works too) and white paint. For a full how-to, check out her Instagram, but essentially she glued two bowls together to create each of the three legs, then painted them and the table top a glossy white, before glueing the legs on to it. IT’S JANUARY, YOUR bank account is threadbare, but it’s a brand new year and you’re not going anywhere this month, so you’d really like to give your home a 2025 refresh, even if it’s just something small. To fix the thing that’s been irritating you for…

The last book I read… Handbook For Hard Times: A Monk’s Guide To Fearless Living by Gelong Thubten. I was interviewing him for my podcast Begin Again – it was earth-shatteringly good. The last song I listened to… I like my house music and I downloaded a song that absolutely blew my mind the other day: Expander by Bonobo. The last box set I binged… Disclaimer on Apple TV+ with Cate Blanchett and Sacha Baron Cohen. So good and dark. The last podcast I enjoyed… I love The Diary Of A CEO. The last item I added to my wardrobe… I’m a Zara queen and I bought a fluffy white cardigan last night at 11pm. The last beauty product I finished… I colour my hair with Garnier Nutrisse every three weeks. The…

Firstly, are you OK? The start of a new year can feel like whiplash. All the issues you would ‘circle back to in Jan’ now have to be dealt with. The long, lazy Quality Street-fuelled days are a distant memory. So thank the TV gods for The Traitors, which is getting us through the gloom – and giving us some winter style inspiration, thanks to its inimitable host, Claudia Winkleman (above). I can’t think of a better cover star to kick off 2025. January can also be the month for fresh starts, be that reassessing your life and ditching what no longer serves you (see p42), or giving your wardrobe a shake-up (p52). Whether you’re embracing change, or just trying to survive, I wish you a Happy New Year. @hanna_woodside…

1. Up TREACHERY Every time a new season of The Traitors starts, we wonder how we survived for so long since the last one. 2. New in PLAYER 149 Geum-Ja, played by Kang Ae-sim. We realise it’s not a great idea to get attached to anyone in Squid Games, but she’s adorable! Also: vicious. 3. Up JANET JACKSON In full vinyl, on stage in Vegas, with a vinyl-boob-cupping backing dancer. Because somebody has to. 4. New in DERRY GIRLS (BUT DIFFERENT) A new show, created by DG’s Lisa McGee (right), is headed for Netflix and we absolutely cannot wait. 5. Non-mover LENNY IN BLACK DOVES Having rewatched the series (it was a long betwixtmas) we’re of the opinion that Lenny (Kathryn Hunter) is the outstanding style icon of the show.…

GRAZIA INTERVIEW MOLLY-MAE HAGUE is nervous. ‘Incredibly nervous,’ in fact, she tells Grazia. This month her new docuseries, Molly-Mae: Behind It All, lands on Prime Video, which boasts unprecedented insight into the private life of Britain’s biggest influencer at a time when her seemingly picture-perfect life was in chaos. That includes the fallout from the end of her engagement to boxer Tommy Fury, father of her two-year old daughter Bambi, which Hague announced last August just days before the launch of her new clothing brand, Maebe. ‘I’ve let people into my life with my vlogs [she has 1.96m subscribers on YouTube], but I’ve never really delved this deep,’ she says. ‘But with this I was ready to be more vulnerable and let people in.’ Hague has never explicitly stated the…

THE YEAR HAS got off to a tricky start for Blake Lively, involving a legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Just days before Christmas, Lively filed a lawsuit that accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. His legal team called the allegations ‘categorically false’ and he filed his own lawsuit, against The New York Times, which first reported Lively’s legal complaint, accusing the publication of unfairly damaging his reputation and ignoring evidence that contradicts Lively’s claims. The New York Times plans to vigorously defend the lawsuit, saying, ‘Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at…

WHILE MOST OF US retired our sequins as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, in the world of A-listers, the maxim for the new year is very much ‘start as you mean to go on’. With last week’s Golden Globes kicking off the months-long awards season, who better to turn to than the man who invented viral red carpet dressing? Mr Bob Mackie. In days where the term ‘icon’ is thrown around like confetti, Mackie, 84, has earned the label as the man who has made costumes for every Hollywood superstar from Marilyn Monroe to Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Madonna, Elton John, Diana Ross and – of course – Cher. Now, his career spanning over six decades is immortalised in a new documentary, Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion, giving…

BRIDGET’S BACK! Hurrah, our favourite singleton will have a fourth and final outing in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, aka the romcom of the year – and this time a now 50-something Bridget must navigate the world of modern dating as a single mum and widow (RIP Mark Darcy). But it’s not all doom and gloom; Renée Zellweger is reunited with Hugh Grant, who returns as the incorrigible Daniel Cleaver, and there are not one but two new love interests on the scene in the form of Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall. V v good indeed. Out 14 February FILM CAMERON RETURNS After a decade-long hiatus from acting, Cameron Diaz is channelling her Charlie’s Angels days in this Netflix blockbuster aptly called Back In Action. Starring opposite Jamie Foxx,…

ONE WRITER I follow On Instagram has my dream life. I got quite obsessed last year, checking her profile and fawning over her talent, her thousands of influential friends, the exciting parties she was going to and the awards she was winning. ‘And look at me, at home, achieving nothing,’ I’d say to my boyfriend disconsolately. OK, so there was the baby to factor in – my baby, born last March. Everyone kept saying, ‘Give yourself a break! You’ve just had a baby!’ which, sure, is sound advice, but hard to internalise when you’ve spent 15 years trying to build a career as a writer. My self-esteem was tied to my work, which was suddenly gone while I sat glued to the sofa and wondering how – how – does…

MY CONCEPT OF friendship, as a geriatric Millennial woman, was formed by watching the classics. By classics I of course mean Friends, Sex And The City, Will & Grace, 90210, and Dawson’s Creek. In these worlds, friends lived in each other’s pockets, popping in and out unannounced to see each other throughout the day. They lived similar lifestyles in similar places. If you’re lucky, your twenties and early thirties can mirror these sitcoms (a bit). And then suddenly friends move out, move away or are busy climbing a career ladder. Some settle down with families, others don’t. Within a matter of years, maintaining friendships takes work, and that work often just feels like another item on the massive to-do list. At this point, it feels like we split into two…

GO WITH THE FLOW Elevate your yoga practice with stylish and functional essentials. Adanola and Varley offer sleek, supportive sets, while Marks & Spencer’s Goodmove range brings affordable performance pieces with a standout print. HIT THE SLOPES – OR NOT – IN STYLE This season, skiwear goes beyond the slopes, blending fashion with functionality for pieces that work both on and off-piste. The latest slope flex? Luxe metallics - see Yves Solomon’s full snowsuits or opt for a more subtle accent with River Island’s ear muffs. Base layers have become a new style statement thanks to Varley’s earthy tones and Fusalp’s icy blue trousers, and cosy accessories are key. Whether you’re skiing or just hitting après, these pieces ensure you’re ready for Baltic temps… ON THE RUN Make those dark,…

DO YOU HAVE any formative lipgloss/lipstick memories that take you right back? My first love was a Lancôme Juicy Tube stolen from my sister – a candyfloss pink laden with iridescent shimmer, in the signature high-shine formula of my early teens. Later, it was MAC Lipglass in Underage layered on top of foundation lips (remember those?). I’d swipe it on at least 10 times a day, including before school lessons, where make-up was technically banned. At university, MAC Lipstick in Creme Cup came into my life and I’d finally found my perfect pink. I studied in Manchester and we didn’t do beauty by halves, with Saturdays dedicated to a full day of glam prep. There was fake tan to over-apply, cheap hair extensions to curl, brows to tweeze to oblivion,…