PlatinumOctober 2024的目錄

I love this time of year: the leaves turning to red, yellow and brown. There’s a particularly leafy avenue near where I live, lined with huge chestnuts and oaks. I love driving down it any time of year but especially now for all the splendid colours (if you love autumnal colour too, check out Sheffield Park and Garden on page 87 in the travel section). Autumn is also a time for letting go, clearing out, and saying goodbye to things that no longer serve us, be they physical, mental or emotional. It’s the season associated with midlife, when we’ve said goodbye to the youth of spring and summer, and are maturing into our full, resplendent selves; shedding, one hopes, the baggage that often accumulates in our younger years, and discovering…

At the start of this year, I mused over whether to buy another house or a flat once our family home had sold. What a hopeless optimist I was. Now here we are in October and it’s about to come back on the market after a spot of titivating that, according to the agent, might persuade someone to buy it. For it seems as though the modern buyer isn’t like we were. A sweeping generalisation perhaps, but the majority of them seem to want an Instagram-style “perfect” house that looks just like all the other taupe/grey palettes everyone seems to favour these days. Mine isn’t falling down, but it’s what the experts might call a little “tired” in places, and some of my antique furniture probably isn’t to their liking…

Look out for the pink bow showing which products are supporting Breast Cancer Now, with proceeds from items sold going to the charity. For more information about the cause, visit breastcancernow.org. Drowsy will be donating 20% of all sales of Damask Rose products to breast cancer charity Future Dreams for the month of October.…

Barbara Conquer, 73, from Reading ‘I love this outfit because I feel really comfortable in it. Whether I was going out for lunch, dinner, or just a day out I would still feel good. My top is from M&S (I have it in a few colours), the trousers are from New Look and my shoes are from Dune. This is an easy outfit to replicate in other colours so I feel like I can change it up when I need to.’ Linda Malcolm, 67, from North London ‘This white dress I particularly love because of the embroidery detail on the bodice. And the soft silky-smooth cotton. I love the fact that it can be worn in the spring, summer and autumn. It’s from the Ruth Eaton Collection and can be…

Nights will draw in rapidly come October and as the clocks go back, many people will experience the negative symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is a disorder that was only really recognised by the medical profession in 1984 when a psychologist named Rosenthal noticed that he was less productive and experienced low moods during the winter after he relocated from South Africa to the United States. Prior to this, the condition had been rather dismissed because it was seen as a transient problem that resolved without intervention. Rosenthal conducted a study and SAD was accepted into the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (DSM), giving validation to the millions of sufferers of SAD around the world. Forty years on, we are still learning about SAD, and research…

Marvel at Jacobean and Victorian design WHAT LanhydrockWHERE Bodmin, CornwallWHEN House and garden open March to early Nov, 11am-5pm daily; countryside, cycle trails, and hub area open year-roundPRICE Adult tickets £20 (free entry for National Trust members)WEBSITE nationaltrust.org.uk Lanhydrock is a quintessential Jacobean country house and estate, refurbished in high Victorian style after a fire in 1881. Offering glimpses into two contrasting sides of Victorian life, explore the luxurious and elegant rooms and great halls, where wealthy families dined, gathered and slept, before venturing below stairs to discover what life was like for the hardworking servants. If the weather permits, there’s also plenty to see outside, with year-round colour to enjoy in the extensive gardens along with ancient woodlands and tranquil riverside paths to explore throughout the estate. There are…

CODEWORD Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by the same number throughout this grid. Use the decoded letters given to work out the identity of other letters and fill in the grid. The alphabet list and reference grid will help you to keep track of the letters you’ve decoded. WORDWHEEL You have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each word must be three letters or more and contain the central letter. Use each letter once, and no plurals, foreign words or proper nouns are allowed. There is at least one nine-letter word. AVERAGE: 24 words GOOD: 29 words EXCELLENT: 36 words CELL BLOCK Fill the grid by drawing blocks along the gridlines. Each block must contain the number of…

Later this month I am hoping to attempt a mountain marathon with my daughter Mia. Shortly after running the London marathon with her last year, we decided we might try to run a little further together this year because we had enjoyed the whole experience so much. It wasn’t just about race day, it was also about the training; we did most of our long runs together and it was a fabulous way of spending quality time chatting and getting out in the countryside. Her original idea was to run an ultra-marathon but, on the weekend we were originally planning to do it she can’t come, so I looked for an alternative. I found an epic race which seemed a great idea at the time, and I booked us into…

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LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author eyes up another epic challenge alongside her daughter. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy offers tips to tackle stress eating and approach food in a positive way. ANGELA KENNEDY Writer Angela looks at retirement spending or saving in The Big Debate. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her six favourite new reads for us this month. DOTTIE MONAGHAN Platinum’s beauty guru hails the modern-day makeup stick for its skin-boosting benefits. GAIL ROLFE Fashion expert Gail is inspired by “handbags and gladrags” this issue. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter laments the ongoing saga of property selling and buying. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP shares the symptoms of SAD and what you can do to combat it. ELIZABETH JOSEPH Writer Elizabeth…

Awhile ago in an interview for The Telegraph, Robbie Williams’ wife Ayda Field stated, ‘I have a beautiful wardrobe for a life that someone else lives’. That quote made me pause and take stock of my own wardrobe. Filled with items that I cherish and adore, most of my clothes had been bought over a period of many years. There were the dependable essentials that I could grab every day and leave the house looking – I hoped – stylish and chic. A small collection of navy blazers, one ivory and one camel version; masculine cotton shirts, striped and plain; piles of white T-shirts; white boho blouses for summer; one midi skirt; jeans in blue, white and black, both wide-legged and skinnies; a variety of jumpers in navy, grey, camel…

Running has always been important to me as I suffered from health anxiety for years, so I started running to help. It was like a medication for me, and it was the only way I could cope with life. I used to go out running and when I came back, I felt better, that I could cope. About four years ago, my anxiety got really bad. I was constantly googling symptoms or at the doctors every day. In my head I was thinking, “If I’m running, I can’t be dying of a heart attack!”. So I got my body to tell my mind I was alright. In 2022, I was training for the London Marathon as it was something I had always wanted to do. I didn’t get into the…

I come from a fine art background originally, having studied it at Chelsea College of Arts. Drawing is really my first love and it has informed the majority of my creative endeavours. I worked for Alexander McQueen, hand-drawing textile print designs for their womenswear, which opened the door for me into various fashion and textile design roles. I started my own brand, ONLYCHILD, in 2012, which offers a range of bold and eclectic wearables and homewares. We’ve also worked with a host of celebs who love the brand, including Cara Delevingne, Little Mix, and Cynthia Erivo. Around six or seven years ago, I shifted into interior design. I was asked to be a guest designer for a serviced apartment project in Central London by design-led hospitality brand, Cuckooz. They had…

As well as salvias, tender perennial climbers and dahlias, there are some invaluable plants that keep our pot garden looking good throughout October. Small containers of trailing verbenas, arctotis, bidens and the good old, reliable argyranthemum look as good as the day they came into flower in June. After 30 years of trialling, here are some of the long performers I recommend. BIDENS There seem to be quite a lot of daises in this late performing club and here is another one. It comes in a wonderful intense selection of mahogany, oranges and yellows. I remember a dire wet day in November when we were running a course on colour in the garden – it felt rather ironic, the lack of it. We had several pots of bidens, which we…

‘Despite zero connections and a huge learning curve, the podcast took off’ In the 90s, I worked in production for BBC Radio Drama and Radio 1 with a dream of presenting, which was squashed when I had a huge crisis in confidence in my early 20s. I put those aspirations on hold as I met my husband, had three children and became a “travelling spouse” for 14 years, living first in the USA and then Singapore. In the States, a chance meeting with a QVC host who suggested I use my “cute accent” in voiceovers, led to training in Philadelphia and New York. I found that narrating audiobooks, despite no trained drama background, was something I was pretty good at. Inhabiting characters, practising accents and creating fictional personalities helped me…

PLATINUM EXPERT Adele Parks MBE Adele Parks MBE is the author of 24 bestselling novels, including number one Sunday Times Bestsellers Just My Luck and Lies Lies Lies. Her latest novel, First Wife’s Shadow, is a twisty psychological thriller about jealousy and greed. Adele has sold over 5 million books in the UK editions and her work has been translated into more than 30 different languages. She is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. She loves hearing from readers so keep in touch via Twitter @adeleparks and Instagram @adele_parks. THE GLASSMAKER by Tracy Chevalier (£20, The Borough Press) For me, Chevalier is an absolute must-read. Her novels are meticulously researched, beautifully written and totally transportive. This…

EDITOR’S LETTER TA DAH! Introducing the winners of the first ever Platinum Beauty awards 2024! As a passionate Beauty Editor, I live and breathe all things beauty, hungrily hunting out recommendations and unearthing great new ‘finds’. But here at Platinum, taking the word of just one journalist, influencer or make-up artist was never going to be an option. For the Platinum Beauty Awards we wanted real-life testing by a broad group of the right aged experts; people ready to bring in their knowledge and skills from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds (and years of sharing the same curiosity for products and passion for beauty as I do.) That means the products that follow have outperformed their shelf mates. They’ve been put through their paces (triple-tested no less!) with…

Best Mascara ILIA BEAUTY Limitless Lash Mascara £28 iliabeauty.com Best Concealer DELILAH Farewell Cream Concealer £26 delilahcosmetics.com Best Foundation DELILAH Time Frame Future Resist Foundation with SPF20 £38 delilahcosmetics.com Best Lipstick SCULPTED BY AIMEE Lip Duo £17 sculptedbyaimee.co.uk Best Lip Serum RUBY HAMMER Lip Serum Balm £18 rubyhammer.com Best Lash/Brow Duo RUBY HAMMER Mascara & Brow Duo £28 rubyhammer.com Best Blush DELILAH In Bloom Radiant Liquid Blush £23 delilahcosmetics.com Best Brush Set VIVA LA GENTIL Make-up Brush Collection £20 vivalagentil.com Best Applicator LOTTIE LONDON Powder Puffs £6 lottie.london "Make-up is one of our passions and our goal is to share our favourite finds with you, highlighting the must-have winning items for your bag" Best Complexion Stick ILIA BEAUTY Skin Rewind Complexion Stick £48 iliabeauty.com Best Skin Tint SCULPTED BY AIMEE…

‘Great to learn more about Sinitta’ ‘I have long been a fan of Sinitta and so with her on the cover of the September issue it was of course the first article I turned to. She really is a timeless beauty who looks nowhere near her age as she has taken good care of her health and skin. I thought I knew lots about her, but the questions asked were probing and she gave honest and open answers that told me more about her. She really hit the nail on the head with her attitude to sex, as I myself approach my 50s I agree with her that advertising becomes about funeral plans and incontinence products. We are more than that and are often having the best sex of our…

If a friend asks whether you SKI, they might not be talking about the sport of sliding down a snowy mountainside. Going SKI-ing is a growing trend among retirees that has nothing to do with below zero temperatures – although it could make for frosty family relations. Welcome to the world of Spending the Kids’ Inheritance (SKI). Leading the way are a surprising number of celebrities, such as Elton John, Sting, Nigella Lawson, Simon Cowell, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Mila Kunis, who have all said they won’t be leaving their fortune to their children. Perhaps because they want to donate to charity or incentivise offspring to achieve for themselves. While the lives of the wealthy might have little to do with us mere mortals, some of the motivations for SKI-ing…

DB Wider Fit Shoes launched their Joyful Strides For Wider Feet campaign this year to revolutionise foot health and style for all. Sara Davies MBE (pictured) lends her voice to the campaign, sharing personal insights into the significance of comfortable, well-fitted shoes. For more information, and to shop the full range, visit widerfitshoes.co.uk. ‘I’m thrilled to be part of this campaign that promotes both comfort and style. Foot health is fundamental to overall wellbeing, and everyone deserves to feel confident and supported in their footwear choices.’– Sara Davies, ambassador for the Joyful Strides For Wider Feet campaign. Studies reveal a staggering 72% of people are wearing shoes that don’t fit correctly. 3 tips for top foot health from DB Wider Fit Shoes 1. Measure your feet, both width and length. Some people wear…

Every day, I’m approached by intelligent, hardworking, caring midlife women who feel controlled by food. They know that what they’re eating every day is damaging to their health; but they feel powerless to stop reaching for it. I’ve been a victim of stress eating myself, and I always approach this issue with compassion and patience. It’s a joy to see my clients uncovering their self-worth when they get in the driving seat of their eating. And that all starts with developing self-compassion. There’s no question that our lives are more stressful these days, and sugary or salty snacks can look like an easy fix. Stress eating is a real thing – and it can easily lead to entrenched habits. Unfortunately, we live in an environment that encourages those very habits.…

GREAT WALLS Created in collaboration with Clarke & Clarke, the new Mural Wallpapers from designer Emma J Shipley (from £349, emmajshipley.com) will transform your walls into an immersive work of art. Featuring resplendent birds, mythical creatures and African wildlife, these stunning murals – which begin as hand-drawn designs – will transport you to the fantastical Highlands, enchanted cloud forests or wild open plains. Giving back to the natural world that inspires her designs, Emma has been working with the World Land Trust since 2020, planting over 3,500 trees to restore wildlife habitats. CLEAN & TIDY HOME SHOW (October 19-20, ExCeL London) Featuring clean queen Marie Kondo (pictured) as a headline guest, learn how to create a happier, healthier, and more positive living space at this two-day event. Empowering attendees on…

The last time I painted was some 30 years ago, if you don’t count painting walls at home, that is. At school, I loved art and was proud of my GCSE A-star, which I got for painting a vase of red and yellow tulips in acrylics, with the ones on the left still in bud, the ones in the middle opening out, and the ones on the right limping down, petals curling and shedding. Our theme was “journeys” and my picture was meant to represent the journey of passing time. When I painted that picture, I was the tulip on the left, so to speak, still in my “first spring”. I couldn’t conceive what life would be like 10, 20 or 30 years ahead, as I passed through the tulip…

Q My children think I’m spending their inheritance, which leads to arguments – aren’t they just being entitled? It’s your money and you have the freedom to do what you wish with it. But were you clear with your children about your plans or were they expecting to inherit and now feel disappointed? It’s easy to blame adult children for feeling wrongfully entitled to the money, but I think it’s more helpful if parents take responsibility for better communicating intentions and plans. Perhaps your children were counting on the money for financial objectives. Although that doesn’t entitle them to your money, you should acknowledge and allow their disappointment. Going back to your reasons for spending is always helpful because it ensures that you are not just acting impulsively. If you…

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