Switching half our clothes in each of our wardrobes to pre-loved could prevent carbon emissions equivalent to those produced by 261,000 flights from London to Greece, Oxfam have suggested. So what is the allure of buying brand new clothes, when we know it’s worse for the environment? Well, there’s a reason we refer to shopping as ‘retail therapy’. Whether it’s a going-out top grabbed on your lunch break or a designer bag you’ve had your eye on for months, fashion acquisitions in particular have the power to lift your mood, thanks to the chemical dopamine. “Dopamine is known as the reward agent,” said cognitive psychologist and business consultant Dr Carolyn Mair, author of The Psychology of Fashion. “We produce more dopamine when we’re on the hunt for something that’s going to give us a positive outcome or make the situation we’re in at the moment more easy to bear. “It can become an addiction, certainly, because the same neurotransmitters and same behaviours are involved.” And buying an on-trend outfit provides more of a thrill than loading up a supermarket trolley because it satisfies our desire to fit in. “It’s a fundamental psychological drive that we want to belong to communities – part of the way we do that is through the way we dress,” said Mair – who is working with Oxfam for the launch of its Second Hand September campaign – but it’s a double-edged sword. “Fashion can do wonders for us in terms of highlighting or concealing parts of our bodies that we love or don’t love so much,” Mair continued. “But it can also be quite damaging when we feel that we have to join in with other people’s ideas about what’s fashionable.” Peer pressure can have a powerful effect, as can the boredom. “We get bored with what we’ve got, and we’re also very much influenced by fashion trends, celebrities, social media and so on,” said Mair. “There’s quite often a temptation to join in with those trends and be part of that… It can be quite difficult for people to resist that.” Even, that is, when we know that the fashion industry is hugely detrimental to the enviroment in terms of carbon emissions and unwanted garments going to landfill. “I think the huge majority of people already know [the environmental impact],” said Mair, and yet fast fashion brands continue to churn out millions of items a year and consumers lap them up. Instead of telling people to quit clothes shopping altogether, she said to ask ourselves: “How can we get the pleasure from fashion by not buying brand new, but by buying something else?” That’s why she encourages fashion fans to make more sustainable choices, starting with ‘shopping your wardrobe’. “You can make something you’ve already got feel new by upcycling it or changing it a little bit, if you’re creative. We can swap with friends, because then it’s ‘new to me’.” Hunting on sites like Vinted, eBay or Depop is a great way of “finding treasures so that’s giving us the dopamine hit and we’re saving money”, she added. If the proceeds are going to a good cause you’ll get an extra altruistic boost as welll. “We know from positive psychology that one of the best ways to feel good about ourselves is to do good for someone else,” said Mair. “Whenever we buy secondhand from a charity shop we know that our money is going towards doing good.” She’s also a big fan of rental sites like HURR Collective, Hire Street and By Rotation that offer premium pieces to hire for a fraction of their retail price. “Rental sites are great, particularly for special occasions when we think ‘I need to buy something new,’ because that’s the social norm,” she said. “Rental is a great way to keep an item of clothing in use for longer so it’s worn by more people and looked after.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How can I improve my teenager’s low mood? Drinking alcohol does not make people look more attractive, study suggests Maya Jama and Stormzy: Can you make it work with an ex?

Shopping for second-hand fashion could prevent carbon emissions equivalent to those produced by 261,000 flights to Greece, analysis from Oxfam suggests. The charity has launched its annual campaign Second Hand September, which encourages people to shop second-hand and donate what they no longer need or wear for 30 days from Friday. Releasing new research to mark the annual campaign, Oxfam said that only 10 per cent of wardrobe contents are second-hand. The charity cited figures from the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which estimates that the average adult wardrobe consists of 118 items. Oxfam said that if half of those items were bought second-hand, it would prevent 12.5 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide created by manufacturing new clothes from entering the atmosphere – equivalent to that produced by 261,000 flights from London Heathrow to Athens. It also said that if each adult in the UK donated all the clothes they have not worn in the past year to charity shops, it could remove the need for 4.9 billion kilograms of carbon emissions – equivalent to flying a plane around the world more than 6,600 times. The findings come amid increasing awareness of the negative effects of the fashion industry, which accounts for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to the UN, which is more than international aviation and shipping combined. Money raised from Oxfam fashion goes towards Oxfam’s work with partners fighting poverty and the impact of the climate emergency around the world. The charity said an increasing number of shoppers, activists and people within the fashion industry have been shopping second-hand since the first Second Hand September campaign in 2019. Bay Garnett, stylist, sustainable fashion advocate and senior fashion adviser at Oxfam, said second-hand clothes have become an emerging style and agreed it has become “cool to care”. “I’ve seen a huge change. Kids love to do it now and what’s brilliant is that second-hand now has become a trend. It’s a genuine tipping point for it being a style choice,” she told the PA news agency. “I also think the big difference now is that it’s seen as a point of activism and originality. Kids are proud that they’re going to second-hand because it shows independence and a form of activism and strong decisions.” Ms Garnett, who came up with the idea to do visual campaigns for Second Hand September, collaborating with stars such as Sienna Miller and Felicity Jones, added that second-hand shopping is also an “antidote to the culture of newness, of Instagram and disposability”. She added: “When you shop at second-hand shops, the money that you’re spending raises crucial funds for Oxfam’s work fighting poverty and the impact of the climate emergency. That’s a fantastic place to put your money. “That’s pretty powerful in itself – the fact that it’s not going to make people richer but it’s going to help the people who are poor or the most disenfranchised by this whole situation.” Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s retail director, said: “As a major emitter of greenhouse gas, much of the fashion industry as it stands is a threat to people and planet.” She added: “Shopping this way sends a clear message to the fashion industry that consumers want, and expect, things to change.” Miquita Oliver, Oxfam’s second-hand clothes ambassador, said: “It’s timely that we’re talking about second-hand clothes and living in a more sustainable way, as awareness of the environmental impact of our shopping choices is growing. “Today’s research from Oxfam shows that something as simple as buying clothes second-hand, and donating what we don’t wear any more, can help change the world for the better. It’s as simple as that.” Read More Woman adopts husband’s ex-wife’s son after growing up in foster care herself Florence Pugh says backlash to her nipple-bearing dress shows people are ‘terrified of the human body’ Woman says she started to wear ‘terrible wigs’ after her job banned her pink hair

An overview of the media in Zimbabwe, including links to broadcasters and newspapers.

Chanel is opening a pop-up American-style “diner” in Brooklyn, New York, complete with retro interiors and Chanel colour-coded treats. But guests shouldn’t expect any classic diner dishes like pancakes or burgers at the French luxury fashion house’s Lucky Chance Diner. The pop-up will give the public a chance to experience the brand’s latest fragrance as it launches Chance Eau Fraîche, a scent created by in-house perfumer Olivier Pole. The old-school, but luxuriously designed, diner will be open to the public from 8 to 10 September. It will be located in Brooklyn’s chic Williamsburg neighbourhood, which is known for boutiques and trendy cafes. Chanel is inviting patrons to visit the diner, where they can go on a “personalised scent discovery” to explore its new fragrance free of charge. The pink-and-green themed space will feature Chanel’s recognisable round perfume bottles on every surface, along with matching dining booths, countertop seating, napkin holders, clocks and other paraphernalia bearing its signature logo. According to the label, customers can also go into the back room of the diner and participate in interactive activities, such as selfies with a life-sized bottle of Chance perfume, “diner-inspired treats” and a fragrance window to purchase Chanel perfumes from. The treats include ice cream, small bites and beverages, according to The Cut. However, customers will not be able to order any French fries at the fashion-forward diner. Fans have expressed surprise and delight at the luxury brand’s pop-up, with one person writing on X/Twitter: “Chanel opening a diner wasn’t on my bingo list.” Another joked: “What if we kissed in the Chanel beauty-themed diner? (No food, just perfume).” Those who are keen to visit the diner can make a reservation, but walk-ins are also welcome. However, anyone trying to book a spot now may find it impossible, as one fan posted: “The Chanel diner pop-up in Brooklyn is indefinitely sold out [crying emojis].” Read More Yewande Biala thought she was unique in never having had an orgasm – then she made a film about it The dish that defines me: Evelin Eros’s rum cake Woman says she started to wear ‘terrible wigs’ after her job banned her pink hair

Ten years ago, China's capital was often covered in dense yellow and gray smog, so thick it shrouded nearly everything from view.

Preston Mutanga has found fame as a teen wunderkind whose creativity resulted in the ultimate gig.

By Nate Raymond South Carolina's top court on Tuesday declined to reconsider a recent ruling upholding the state's

Anne Hathaway’s on-screen portrayal of a fashion challenged assistant to an Anna Wintour-inspired magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada led her to become the style muse for several major fashion houses, including Versace. Now, the 40-year-old Hollywood star has begun experimenting with new fashion trends, crafting mod looks, and stunting on every red carpet. While Hathaway’s induction into the fashion world can be traced back to her role in the 2006 film, the actor has revealed that she’s recently been taking style cues from Generation Z. In a conversation with Vogue published on 29 August, the Princess Diaries star opened up about her motivation to take fashion risks in recent years. “I know this sounds like I’m super-pandering, but I’m really switched on by Gen Z,” she confessed. “It’s a fun generation when it comes to fashion.” Hathaway went on to not only credit the group of individuals born between the late 1990s to the early 2000s for her style playfulness, but the artistic direction of standout designers. “I feel like designers are having a lot of fun,” she said. “I feel like people are enjoying it. Maybe it was always the case, and maybe I was the only person in the corner watching everybody else have fun,” Hathaway continued. “But just the ability to enjoy it feels like it’s more available to me now than it ever was before.” The Interstellar actor has been collaborating with stylist Erin Walsh on some of her most sought-after looks, such as her Karl Lagerfeld-inspired Versace number she wore to this year’s Met Gala honouring the late Chanel designer. On her partnership with the stylist, Hathaway said: “She inspires me. Her style has really rubbed off on me, and the way she wears things, whatever it is, she always wears it in the most effortless way possible.” Walsh expressed the same sentiment about Hathaway when speaking to E! News this past May. “What’s more stylish than a woman who is embodying her ultimate essence and dressing the part?” Walsh admitted. “Anne is beautiful inside and out. It’s very inspiring to see someone actually glowing.” Much like her character in The Devil Wears Prada, Hathaway used to feel trapped under one aesthetic when it came to her everyday fashion. She explained how she preferred to play it safe, and didn’t realise that she could assume some of the unique looks that she’d seen others in. “I thought that I could only have one,” the Academy Award-winner proclaimed. “I felt really lost because I didn’t know what that was until I realised I have so many styles. Once I realised that, then I felt like something clicked. But that’s just me. It’s different. Some people are like, ‘Nope, black turtleneck every day.’” Whether she’s sitting front row at a Louis Vuitton runway show wearing a collared mini dress and elevated updo, or donning an all-latex black ensemble with sheer tights for Versace, Hathaway’s style can no longer be categorised under just one uniform. Read More Fans defend Anne Hathaway after she appears to ‘ignore’ Priyanka Chopra at fashion event Vogue divides opinion with controversial job posting for Anna Wintour’s assistant ‘Unproblematic people don’t age’ reflects the stupidest kind of beauty standard

The cast of 'The Golden Girls' had plenty of fun between takes.

Many bad words come and go, but these six have withstood the tests of time. Here’s how they came to be.

The correct answer is “never,” but if you have to, you’d better time it right.

The Biden administration unveiled Tuesday the names of the first 10 drugs subject to price negotiations in Medicare, including blood thinners and diabetes medications.