Louis Vuitton’s boots made to look like a human leg, costing almost £2000 ($2,500), have been branded “creepy” by a TikTok user. The Illusion High Boots come in two skin tones and are designed to replicate a leg wearing a white sock and a black high-heeled shoe. They also come in a shorter ankle boot version for the same price. TikTok user @izzipoopi burst out laughing as she unboxed the bizarre footwear. “This is like the ultimate Polly Pocket shoe. It’s almost creepy, it’s giving doll legs,” she said. Read More Omid Scobie opens up on ‘upsetting’ revelation about Harry and William’s relationship Martin Lewis reveals top saving accounts with best interest rates Martin Lewis urges billpayers to claim from £8bn pot

Gabriella Karefa-Johnson has confirmed her resignation from Vogue after officially joining the publication in 2013. During an episode of The Business of Fashion podcast on 24 November, the fashion editor detailed her decision to not renew her contract as Global Fashion Director at large, in tandem with her industry plans moving forward. The seasoned professional - known to be the first Black woman to style a cover shoot for American Vogue - has already imposed immutable influence, passion, and drive to effect change in fashion. Karefa-Johnson’s devotion to creating a still image that tells a larger story, for the sole benefit of impacting others, is one that often fizzles for professionals inside the competitive fashion industry. In conversation with Imran Amed, the artist explained that her ultimate intention to make room for aspiring “little Gabriella Karefa-Johnsons” in the future was reflected through an eagerness for transparency. The two spoke about “burn out” and “pressure” within the fashion industry, arguing that a career in fashion shouldn’t force people to endure so much stress. For Karefa-Johnson, working for highly-regarded publications previously brought about mental hardship for her. However, the nature of the environment wasn’t necessarily what convinced her to leave her position at Vogue. “The truth is I was a contracted employee there as the Global Fashion Director at large, and my contract was up for renewal, and I decided not to renew it,” she confessed. “That resignation was something that was right for me at the time, still is right for me.” “The truth of the matter is like anything else, you know, we grow, and sometimes our containers don’t grow with us,” she continued. “And so I’m excited to build a new container for all of these ideas and this new energy. “I loved and learned so much at Vogue magazine. It’s my home. I grew up there, and I can’t wait to take those tools and apply them in ways that are really just true to who I am and serve me and serve people who look like me and people listen and follow me. It’s really about serving that community now.” Among Karefa-Johnson’s many Vogue cover shoots, there was one cover photo that was particularly striking in her opinion, for both good and bad reasons. In 2021, the fashion editor worked on Vice President Kamala Harris’ Vogue cover - a photograph that prompted widespread controversy and scrutiny. For the magazine cover, the vice president was positioned in front of a waterfall of pink satin pouring down by her feet. Harris donned a black pantsuit and an honest smile, while she wore a pair of black and white high-top Converse - her favourite everyday shoe. According to Karefa-Johnson, the politician’s natural poise was captured in just 25 minutes because that’s all the time the vice president had for the day. In addition to time constraints, Karefa-Johnson explained that there was a communication barrier due to Covid-19 masks and Harris’ large team of staff. The fashion editor was still able to successfully snap Harris in the way she intended, but backlash quickly followed as people criticised how Harris was presented. Earlier in the interview, Karefa-Johnson called her younger self “witty, loud, and drive” - similarly to how she views herself now. Before Vogue, the fashion editor worked for Garage magazine under Vice Media, the juggernaut that recently filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. Read More Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez relentlessly mocked over their Vogue photo shoot Fans defend Dolly Parton for wearing Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit Birth of endangered rhino calf caught on camera at Chester Zoo

Victoria Beckham appears to be cashing in on her viral “Rolls-Royce” comments with the launch of a £110 T-shirt that reads: “My dad had a Rolls-Royce”. In a viral moment from the recently released Netflix series Beckham, Victoria claimed to have come from a “working class” background, despite being driven to school in a Rolls-Royce by her father. Beckham, a four-part series, tracks the former David Beckham’s rise to fame and fortune, along with his relationship with Spice Girls star Victoria and their growing family. When a clip of the “Rolls-Royce” moment went viral on social media, viewers were quick to remark that Victoria has long been known as “Posh Spice”. Victoria has now taken that viral moment one step further and launched a T-shirt via her eponymous fashion label. The item, which is a standard, white T-shirt with the slogan “My dad had a Rolls-Royce” printed in black capital letters, is priced at £110. On the Victoria Beckham website, the product description reads: “Made from soft, organic cotton, the ‘My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce’ slogan T-shirt embodies the brand’s playful side.” “Designed with dropped shoulder seams and a classic crew neckline, it has a relaxed fit and refined feel.” Speaking to the interviewer about her family and childhood in the Netflix series, Victoria said: “We’re very, very working class.” “Be honest,” David jumped in, calling her out. Victoria protested she was being honest, but the former England footballer wasn’t convinced. “What car did your dad drive you to school in?” David then quizzed her. Victoria made several attempts to sidestep the question, uttering: “It’s not a simple answer, it depends!” However, after David repeats the question multiple times, the singer replies: “OK, in the eighties, my dad had a Rolls-Royce.” “Thank you,” says David, before disappearing behind the door once more. As of October 2023, Rolls-Royce cars begin selling at the price of £252,000. After a clip of this scene went viral online, people have praised the couple’s playful dynamic, as well as David’s persistence in getting Victoria to reveal the truth about her father’s car. “Fair play to Beckham for keeping it 100,” said one entertained viewer. However, others have criticised Victoria’s claim to have been working class in her childhood, despite having access to an expensive mode of transport. “A lot of Brits think that if you aren’t landed gentry you’re ‘working class’, very unserious,” one person wrote on Twitter/X. Read More How Princess Diana’s The Crown season six outfits compare to her actual wardrobe Uggs, gilets and disco pants: Noughties fashion is back from the dead Chris Pine defends his short shorts How Princess Diana’s The Crown season six outfits compare to her actual wardrobe Uggs, gilets and disco pants: Noughties fashion is back from the dead Chris Pine defends his short shorts

A kind of refined beauty, made up of draped pearls, mod suits, and tiered frill, formed what we know to be Princess Diana’s bespoke wardrobe through the 80s, while a modern elegance juxtaposed with a bit of casuality took hold of her 90s apparel. In general, the icon, famed for her charitable actions and discernible humility, inadvertently left a lasting impression as the archetype for understated luxury, and Elizabeth Debicki’s renewed role as the “people’s princess” in season six of the Netflix special The Crown, captures that very sentiment. Back with the first four of the final episodes, The Crown has offered a fictionalised behind-the-scenes take on the royal family’s history from Queen Elizabeth assuming the throne in season one all the way up to Princess Diana’s devastating death in season six. And though the actors’ portrayals of each figure are meant to leave stylised impressions of their personalities, their costumes have left viewers with an all-too-realistic picture. Amy Roberts and Sidonie Roberts, the show’s wardrobe designer duo, have worked to fit each actor in garments representative of emblem outfits seen on the royals over the years – Debicki’s assumption of Diana being markedly authentic. The Roberts pair did not fault in the first half of season six, which released on 16 November, dressing Debicki in identical replicas of Diana’s ensembles in the summer of 1997. In the first episode, Diana is pictured on holiday in St Tropez. The Catherine Walker red dress seen on the actual royal on that very same trip is extremely similar to the one seen on Debicki. Between the high, square neckline – very depictive of 90s style – and the double, gold buckle waist belt, Debicki’s costume is almost an exact match for the Walker original, with the exception of the fabric shade. Diana’s was a more of a coral red with a hint of orange to make the hue a less potent ruby. However, in the show, the sophisticated shift garment is pinker. But the massive gold clip-on earrings worn by Debicki look exactly like the real ones. Because the season majorily recounts Diana’s time in the Mediterranean with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, just before her untimely death, Amy and Sidonie were tasked with dressing Debicki in the many one-piece swimsuits Diana wore that summer. “There were lots of swimsuits on Diana this year,” Sidonie told Harper’s Bazaar ahead of the release. “She’s wearing them for four episodes – in fact, the majority of her outfits on her rail for this season were swimsuits.” Diana’s actual leopard print halter-neck, made by Gottex Swimwear, was re-released by the company, therefore allowing the show’s costume to be the exact style and design seen on her. But of Diana’s more illustrious waterproof wear, was her low-back light blue suit worn on Fayed’s yacht. Not only did Debicki favour this particular one-piece out of all her wardrobe changes throughout season six, but the designer pair were especially determined to do the bodysuit justice – which they did. “That blue swimsuit is so iconic,” Sidonie remarked. “That image of her, what we call ‘walking the plank’ and sitting at the end there, it’s so iconic that I think for an actor when they’re in that, it makes them feel completely in their character.” Each swimsuit seen on Debicki in season six came from Gottex as Diana donned the brand repeatedly. On shooting in the shimmery, aqua-coloured piece, Debicki noted: “There was just something about that swimsuit and recreating that moment that felt very sacred and important, and it was very important we got it right.” “It’s as close as possible to the real imagery and yet what I get to do as an actress, kind of enter into that space, which all the things around it feel so accurate, and then I get to discover what’s emotionally in that moment,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. The first four episodes of The Crown season six are now available to watch on Netflix. Read More How Princess Diana’s The Crown season six outfits compare to her actual wardrobe Fans react to most ‘heartbreaking’ scene in The Crown What’s fact and what’s fiction on The Crown season 6? The story of Dodi Fayed - Princess Diana’s last partner The story of Kelly Fisher, Dodi Fayed’s model ‘fiancé’ he dated alongside Diana Did Princess Diana really confront the paparazzi in Saint-Tropez?

Naomi Watts has admitted that going through menopause in her mid-thirties felt like “the end of her worth”. Watts, now 55, said she thought of menopause as “equating to the end” of her career, when she experienced it three years after her breakthrough performance in David Lynch’s 2001 psychological thriller Mulholland Drive. In an interview with Times Radio on Thursday, the two-time Oscar-nominated actor added that the lack of conversation around menopause – or the end of menstruation – “told me that you don’t matter anymore”. She continued: “So I kind of spent a lot of time spinning out and turning in on myself, feeling panicked about the end of my career, the end of my worth. If I can’t bring children into the world, my partner will probably leave me. What do I mean? Where’s my purpose?” Watts has been advocating for greater awareness and sensitivity around the subject, with the actor launching her own menopausal beauty brand Stripes last October. In the interview, she noted that, while women come together to discuss their periods, first kisses, or experiences with getting pregnant, the conversation around menopause has remained shrouded in secrecy and shame. However, Watts acknowledged that she wouldn’t have spoken about her own experiences when she was younger. Opening up about her decision to talk about going through early menopause publicly, she said: “Maybe it was just the right timing, maybe that the average age of menopause is 51. Maybe I just had to get past that milestone to actually admit that that was me. However, Watts added, her outlook has since changed because she “got on top of the education” and has a better understanding of it. “I’ve also got my friends,” she continued, underscoring the importance of having a community. “We can moan about it if we have to, laugh about it and share our experiences openly. “I think when the conversation is off the table, that’s the worst part of it,” Watts said. The Impossible actor has previously said that going through early menopause was “incredibly isolating”, with the NHS estimating that premature menopause – before the age of 40 – affects one per cent of women in the UK. The symptoms are the same as perimenopause, or the years of transition leading up to menopause. These usually include changes in the pattern and/or frequency of menstrual cycles, anxiety, mood changes, hot flushes, and hair loss or thinning. Read More ‘It was the most isolating experience’: Meet the women with early menopause Smoking causes 150 cancer cases every single day in UK, study finds Millions of women able to get contraceptive pills over the counter next year Smoking causes 150 cancer cases every single day in UK, study finds Millions of women able to get contraceptive pills over the counter next year Woman with cystic fibrosis had weeks to live – now she’s climbing mountains

The launch of a celebrity brand is both mundane and rousing. Though it’s rarely groundbreaking when a public figure announces their new entrepreneurial project, due to the sheer frequency of them, we’re almost pressured to add our opinion regardless. Conversations circulate, complimenting inventiveness and speculating failure – and we, as their around-the-clock audience, are enticed to pick a side because after all, it’s a part of pop culture, a phenomenon which relies on commentary. Most recently, Kylie Jenner, the 26-year-old reality star responsible for her $1bn eponymous beauty company Kylie Cosmetics, declared her next career move in the fashion industry with her own clothing line, Khy. And there’s been a lot of talk. The moniker being motivated by her childhood nickname, Khy presents a line of mod items priced reasonably. To create the clothing line, Kylie partnered with her mom, Kris Jenner, as well as the impressive investor duo Emma and Jens Grede, co-founders of numerous celebrity brands such as Skims, Good American, and Brady. Khy aims to bridge the gap between quality and affordability with versatile pieces priced low, but high enough to forego the assumption of cheap garb. Between a bundle of faux leather outerwear with a subtle air of raunchiness, to nylon basics meant for layering, the fashion muse, along with designers Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl from the Berlin-based brand Namilia, crafted the first drop, surpassing $1m in sales within the first hour on 1 November, per a People report. “For this line the main goal is to bring major fashion pieces, and work with these amazing designers and have it be accessible – having everything in this first drop be under $200 dollars was very important to me,” the innovator told Vogue writer Luke Leitch. In conversation with the Wall Street Journal Magazine for its “Innovator’s Issue” ahead of the line’s debut, Kylie revealed she intends to rotate in a myriad of guest creatives to collaborate with throughout the year, with new drops to come every couple of weeks. However, the overarching concept for each collection will reflect her personal wardrobe and taste – this first, “001”, blending edgy character with biker chic. Her intention is allegedly to provide consumers with options suitable for every mood, which means we shouldn’t expect all pleather moto all the time. For me, the beauty mogul’s new venture drove a discerning fact to the forefront of my mind – luminaries are never going to stop creating namesake brands due to their financial standing and privileged connections, no matter their industry expertise or lack thereof. And this certainly rings true for the Kardashian/Jenners, a family with a growing appetite for commercial businesses. Admittedly, I was frustrated by Kylie’s decision to be an architect of her own label, knowing there’s a torrent of independent designers out there who’ve been working on contemporary projects for years and aren’t as widely recognised. For smaller creators, increasing brand visibility is challenging, while celebrities automatically have a widespread presence. But does that mean we should shame Kylie for utilising the mass following she’s built to advertise her new brand? Can we even compare the work of autonomous creatives to that of public figures? No. Because celebrities will inevitably take advantage of their notoriety, we need to be careful with how we talk about their business ventures, ensuring we aren’t lending fruitless attention to irrelevant points, unnecessarily boasting them or prematurely bashing them. According to Mosha Lundström Halbert, a fashion news writer and founder of “Newsfash,” an innovative media company, just as we can’t put celebrity clothing brands into the same category as renowned fashion houses like Gucci or Balenciaga, we can’t compare them to smaller designers who started their career in school. The industry presents us with a platter of concepts, and they shouldn’t be grouped all-together. “Just because something is fashion, just because a company creates clothing doesn’t mean that it’s a fashion brand,” Halbert told The Independent. “My expectations for brands that celebrities come out with are very different than how I look at a brand by a designer who has either come out of a fashion school or worked in the industry.” “I think we can’t lump everything together just because they’re all creating clothing and accessories. I don’t see this as in competition with other established fashion brands, especially when you look at the price point and how many brands are already on the market,” she continued. “Small designers need to be focusing on their own work and not... worrying about what Kylie Jenner is doing. Like, there is completely different lanes.” The target audience for an independent designer isn’t the same for a celebrity creator. Famed figures, like Kylie, with millions of followers, are hoping the mass of people who show a dedicated intrigue in their personal style, reccomendations, and taste will want to purchase clothing with their name on it. “The most important thing to understand is that celebrity launches stand for ‘launches for the masses’. Whereas, most small designers have their niche audiences that are more community-driven,” Bernard Garby, a popular fashion news TikToker, pointed out. As someone who works on the commercial side of luxury goods, Garby reiterated to The Independent that there are different markets underneath the vast umbrella of fashion. “They are two complete opposite markets with two absolutely different target audiences. Therefore, my advice to smaller brands is to focus less on competition and focus more on growing their communities and developing their loyalty because that is their key to success,” he said. “If you’re a small designer with big commercial dreams, in fact, watch those celebrities and look at how they commercially approach and navigate their launch and get inspired by their work and see if there is anything you can adapt to your own business from their strategy,” Garby added. Whether we should speculate the success or failure of Kylie’s clothing venture, it’s too early, even though the reported sales so far suggest a favourable outcome. But there are a few factors that support both sides – the first being her unique selling point. At 17, Kylie capatilised on her love of makeup, noticing a need for matching lip liners and lipsticks as a frustrated consumer herself. During this time, she was also vocal about feeling insecure concerning the size of her lips, constantly overlining them before she got temporary filler in 2015. Therefore, the decision to outset a makeup brand was motivated by her identity. Her first product – a selection of lip kit duos – catalysed her entire empire. In Garby’s opinion, Kylie’s first company was “organic”. When we look at the streamline of successful businesses born from the Kardashian/Jenner family – Skims, Good American, Poosh – all were built based off an “organic” or intimate selling point. For Kim, making shapewear sexy reflected her longstanding sentiment of being unafraid to wear what you need to, to feel comfortable and confident in your figure. For Khloe, someone who’s spoken candidly about battling body insecurities amid public scrutiny, Good American focuses on size inclusivity, wanting to represent and empower women with a range of different body shapes. And Kourtney, the sister who’s avowed her love for wellness openly, invented Poosh, a “modern guide to living your best life,” according to her. “Looking at the Kardashians, it’s actually really interesting. They’ve tried a lot of businesses that haven’t panned out,” Halbert remarked. Between Dash, the family’s retail chain born in Calabasas which eventually closed in 2018, to “The Kardashian Kard,” a prepaid MasterCard debit card, the ravenous reality bunch weren’t always triumphant in their enterprises. So, if having an intimate devotion or being established in a particular niche has proven to help Kardashian brands prosper in the past, does this mean it won’t be long before Khy goes under? Speaking to Vogue, Kylie pointed to the personal anecdote which drove her to create Khy, ensuring consumers understand this venture isn’t all that arbitrary. Like so many, Kylie was a “Tumblr girl” during her teen years, drafting mood boards to mirror her current obsessions. Dubbed “Kalifornia Klasss,” the adolescent used the platform to realise herself then and the woman she’d become. She was “King Kylie,” and Khy has every bit to do with that persona. “It is really significant. King Kylie for me was less about what I was wearing, and more about how I felt in that era. I just felt confident, free, and I didn’t care what anyone said,” she said. “I think that there’s a lot of power in that and I’m definitely channeling my King Kylie energy this year.” Aside from having a unique selling point, Garby noted how pertinent product quality is, especially inside a competitive market. A celebrity can be a known fashion muse, model, or aspiring designer, but a brand will never truly thrive if the quality of the product is poor. “Establishment can help you drive awareness - but in the end - it comes down to the actual product that they try to sell,” Garby noted. Based on the current selection of faux leather items, made from thermoplastic polyme, which can take up to 500 years to decompose, can emit toxic chemicals once discarded, and have the potential to shed microplastics while being used, per a Nomomente analysis, I personally don’t see how Khy differs from other designs already out there, with the cropped leather jacket and strapless midi dress seemingly familiar to what you see priced similarly at Zara. Nevertheless, Kylie’s not alone, being backed by Emma and Jens Grede, the all-too-competent pair who are already responsible for the continued achievement of other Kardashian brands. Emma, who grew up in London, co-founded Good American with Khloe, and Safely, Kris Jenner’s line of natural cleaning products. Meanwhile, Jens, originally from Sweden, partnered with Kim as a co-founder of Skims, driving the company value up to $4bn in the years since it’s initial launch, according to The New York Times. As of now, details on Khy’s subsequent drop, “002”, remain under wraps as an omnipresence of anticipation looms over an eager audience waiting to see what the brand will offer next. While we can only really judge Khy off of personal style preference, quality, and fit, time will tell whether it’s just another celebrity brand doomed to fail or whether “King Kylie” will irrevocably shape understated luxury and fashion fads to come. The Independent has contacted Kylie’s representatives for comment. Read More Kylie Jenner says she and Travis Scott are doing ‘best job’ they can as co-parents Former Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld says ‘no one’ wanted to dress Kim Kardashian Why does Philadelphia Eagles player AJ Brown wear pink shoes? Former Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld says ‘no one’ wanted to dress Kim Kardashian Why does Philadelphia Eagles player AJ Brown wear pink shoes? Fast fashion retailer ASOS struggles to engage consumers as company losses balloon

Halloween is here, but many A-list celebrities kicked off the spooky celebrations early over the weekend. While this year’s Halloween falls on a Tuesday, several famous faces stepped out in some extravagant costumes all “Halloweekend” long. Some celebrities paid homage to fellow pop culture icons, while others tried their best to follow new costume guidelines issued by SAG-AFTRA. Last week, the guild prohibited members from dressing up as popular characters from major studio content. Instead, they were encouraged to wear costumes inspired by generalised characters, like ghosts, zombies, or witches. This meant that celebrities needed to put their creative costume skills to the test, and many succeeded - apart from Megan Fox, who defiantly hit out at SAG-AFTRA when she dressed up as Gogo Yubari from Kill Bill. From Paris Hilton to Kourtney Kardashian Barker, here are the best celebrity Halloween costumes of 2023. Adele The Grammy winner celebrated the spooky holiday with a performance at her Las Vegas residency, “Weekends with Adele”. She dressed up as Morticia Addams from The Addams Family for the occasion, complete with a long black wig, a floor-length black dress, and dramatic smokey eye makeup. Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies Longtime friends Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies continued their Halloween tradition of acting out scenes from their favourite movies. This year the pair dressed up as characters from the 1995 film, Showgirls. Grande played Elizabeth Berkley’s character, Nomi Malone/Polly Ann Costello, while Gillies was Gina Gershon’s Cristal Connors. Last year, the Victorious co-stars reenacted scenes from Christopher Guest’s 2000 mockumentary, Best in Show. Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber Elvis star Austin Butler and his girlfriend, Kaia Gerber, went all out as Andy Warhol and 1960’s model Edie Sedgwick for Halloween. The celebrity couple, who have been dating since late 2021, attended the 2023 Casamigos Halloween party hosted by Gerber’s parents, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. Chloe Bailey Singer Chloe Bailey pulled out all the stops as Daenerys Targaryen, aka Mother of Dragons, from HBO’s Game of Thrones. The 25-year-old shared photos of her medieval costume to Instagram, where she posed in a gold-plated dress with Khlaeesi’s signature long blonde hair. Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch, and Lili Reinhart The Riverdale co-stars reunited this Halloween to become characters from the DC comic, Gotham City Sirens. Mendes appeared as Catwoman, Petsch was dressed as Poison Ivy, and Reinhart opted for Harley Quinn. Demi Lovato Camp Rock alum Demi Lovato went back to her Disney roots when she dressed up as Snow White for Halloween. The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer channelled the Disney princess with her signature blue, white, and yellow mini dress. Lovato made the look her own by adding a low-cut, leather corset top over the bodice. Ice Spice Ice Spice turned heads this Halloween when she shared photos of herself as the cartoon character, Betty Boop. The 23-year-old rapper posted photos to Instagram wearing Betty Boop’s signature black curled hair, along with a red strapless mini dress. Justin and Hailey Bieber Justin and Hailey Bieber took couples costumes to a whole new level when they coordinated in matching looks from The Flintstones. The singer and model attended Vas J Morgan and Michael Braun’s Halloween Party in Los Angeles dressed as the characters Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm from the cartoon series. The Rhode Beauty founder also shared photos of her separate Halloween costume: a white, lace underwear set inspired by Carmen Electra’s from the 2000 parody film, Scary Movie. Keke Palmer Halloween was a mother-son affair for Keke Palmer and her nine-month-old son, Leodis “Leo” Andrellton. The duo paid homage to Frankenstein, as the Nope star dressed up as the Bride of Frankenstein and her son as Dr Frankenstein. “He gave me LIFE,” she captioned her post on Instagram. For her second Halloween costume, Palmer dressed up as Tyra Banks’ character Eve in the 2000 movie Life-Size starring Lindsay Lohan, in which the doll Eve comes to life. Kendall Jenner Much like older sister Kim Kardashian did at the 2022 Met Gala, supermodel Kendall Jenner also channelled Marilyn Monroe with her Halloween costume this year. The 27-year-old wore a short, curled blonde wig and black turtleneck, as she dotted her left cheek with Monroe’s signature beauty mark. “Happy birthday mister president,” Jenner captioned her Instagram post. Kelsea Ballerini It was a Barbiecore Halloween this year, and country music singer Kelsea Ballerini went all out as Cowgirl Barbie from the Barbie movie. She shared photos to Instagram of her Halloween costume, which featured a hot pink vest and matching bell bottoms covered in stars. Ballerini completed the look with a pink paisley ascot around her neck and a white cowboy hat, straight from the summer blockbuster. Kim Kardashian and North West Famous mother-daughter duo Kim Kardashian and North West took a page out of the 1995 teen movie classic, Clueless, with their Halloween costumes. The Skims founder dressed up as Alicia Silverstone’s character of Cher Horowitz, complete with her iconic yellow plaid skirt and jacket, with a matching yellow vest and long blonde hair. Meanwhile, her 10-year-old daughter channelled Cher’s best friend, Dionne. Kourtney Kardashian For her Halloween costume this year, Kourtney Kardashian Barker took a page out of Kim Kardashian’s fashion archive. The Poosh founder recreated her sister’s floral-printed Givenchy gown she wore to the 2013 Met Gala when she was pregnant with her first child, North West. Now, Kardashian Barker is pregnant with her fourth child and first baby with husband Travis Barker. “Freaky Friday,” she wrote on Instagram. The soon-to-be mother of four also shared a photo of her couples costume with the Blink-182 drummer. Kardashian and Barker dressed up as actors Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder in the 1988 movie, Beetlejuice. Their elaborate outfits resembled the ones worn during the scene in which Beetlejuice (Keaton) convinces Lydia (Ryder) to marry him. “I’m the ghost with the most, babe,” Kardasian captioned her post, quoting a line straight from the horror film. Lizzo The “Truth Hurts” singer turned into fellow musician Tina Turner with her Halloween costume. In photos posted to Instagram, Lizzo wore a leather mini dress with sparkly fringe, along with a Turner-inspired blonde wig. “Honouring Tina Turner,” she captioned her post. The queen of rock ‘n’ roll died earlier this year at age 83. Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly The Jennifer’s Body star hit out at SAG-AFTRA guidelines when she and her fiancé, Machine Gun Kelly, dressed up as characters from the 2001 film, Kill Bill. Fox wore a costume inspired by the schoolgirl assassin, Gogo Yubari, while MGK wore the iconic yellow jumpsuit Uma Thurman’s character wore in the film. Taking to Instagram, Fox tagged the official account for SAG-AFTRA in her caption, simply writing: “@sagaftra” Paris Hilton and Jessica Alba In honour of Britney Spears’ newly released memoir, The Woman in Me, Paris Hilton paid tribute to her longtime friend when she wore a replica of the blue flight attendant dress Spears donned in the “Toxic” music video. “Icons support icons,” Hilton wrote on Instagram, alongside photos of the iconic costume. Meanwhile, Jessica Alba also honoured the legendary pop star with her Halloween costume. She attended the star-studded Casamigos party in Los Angeles donning a blonde wig and nude, sparkly bodysuit - resembling another notable look Spears wore in the 2004 music video for “Toxic”. As for Heidi Klum, the queen of crazy Halloween costumes, she teased her upcoming look for her annual Halloween party. Taking to Instagram, the supermodel posed nude on a fluffy pink couch as she wrote in her caption: “The calm before the storm. “Three days to #heidihalloween2023,” she added. “My motto this Halloween: GO BIG OR GO HOME”. Last year, Klum broke the internet when she dressed up in a head-to-toe worm costume. Speaking to People, she explained that when it comes to Halloween costumes, Klum tries to “find things that people naturally wouldn’t do.” “Most people do nurses or police officers, but I was always looking for something that I hadn’t seen,” she said. While Klum is keeping this year’s costume close to her chest, she did previously describe it as “epic”. Read More 11 best kids’ Halloween outfits that will scare and delight 9 best horror stories to read this Halloween and beyond Kourtney Kardashian’s skeletons and other celebrity inspiration for Halloween Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals trick for limiting children’s Halloween candy hauls Kim Kardashian criticised for ‘tone-deaf’ Halloween decorations Jessica Alba and Paris Hilton pay tribute to Britney Spears for Halloween

Hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock once in a while might actually support the brain’s process of waking from deep sleep, according to a new study. People sometimes want to go right back to sleep even after the alarm goes off in the morning, using the snooze button in clocks and cell phones. Decades of previous research suggested that hitting snooze can have negative effects, both on sleep and the brain’s ability to wake up, but until now there hasn’t been any direct evidence of this, say scientists. The new study, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, assessed how common snoozing is and what effects this behaviour has on sleep, sleepiness, mood, and the brain’s cognitive abilities. Researchers found that those who snooze on an average sleep slightly shorter and feel more drowsy in the morning compared to those who never snooze. But they also saw that there were no negative effects of snoozing on the release of the stress hormone cortisol, mood, or sleep quality throughout the night. In the study, 1732 individuals answered questions about their morning habits, including how often they hit the snooze button with many – especially young adults – reporting that they use the alarm feature regularly. The most common reason for snoozing, according to participants, is feeling too tired to get out of bed when the alarm goes off. In another small follow-up experiment, 31 regular snoozers spent two nights in a sleep lab in order to measure their sleep in more detail. On one of the mornings, they were allowed to snooze for 30 minutes, and on the other, they had to get up right when the alarm went off. While in the first case, participants’ sleep was disturbed during the half hour of snoozing, most of them still got more than 20 minutes of sleep – meaning that their total night’s sleep was not affected much. In the snooze condition, no one had to wake up suddenly from deep sleep, and the snoozers performed a bit better on cognitive tests right upon waking. There were also no clear effects of snoozing on mood, sleepiness, or the amount of cortisol in the saliva. The results hint that half an hour of snoozing may not have negative effects on night sleep and could have some positive effects like a decreased likelihood of waking from deep sleep. However, researchers caution that the second experiment was small and only included people who are regular snoozers who find it easy to go back to sleep after each alarm. They say snoozing is most likely not for everyone. Jennifer Kanaan from the University of Connecticut in the US, who is another sleep scientist unrelated to the study, said the latest findings should be interpreted with caution as it could send the wrong message to people. “If you’re coming in and out of sleep for 30 minutes, after the alarm goes off the first time, you’re costing yourself 30 minutes of uninterrupted, quality, restorative sleep,” Dr Kanaan said in a statement. Instead of trying to figure out how to manipulate our alarm clocks, she says people should make a consistent good night’s sleep a greater priority and be less reliant on snooze buttons. “Simply put, instead of hitting the snooze button they should get more sleep,” Dr Kanaan said. Read More Study reveals why millions of women wake up at 3.29am Consistent lack of sleep may increase risk of future depressive symptoms – study Breakthrough study allows scientists to communicate with people as they sleep How to support a child with a stammer ‘I lost nearly a stone on Ozempic, but now it’s run out what am I to do?’ Miriam Margolyes now has part of a cow’s heart as she opens up about health

Just weeks after pledging to deliver a new feminist approach to its brand, Victoria’s Secret appears to have reverted to its tried and tested “sex sells” strategy following a slump in sales. The US lingerie chain had attempted to rehabiliate public perception following criticism that it promoted typically thin, white models as the preferred beauty standard. Relaunching its once blockbuster fashion show in September, Victoria’s Secret replaced its “Angels” with the VS Collective – a group of diverse, successful women including Megan Rapinoe and Priyanka Chopra. But executives are now reportedly re-embracing “sex appeal” after the short-lived makeover failed to boost sales. During a presentation last week, a top executive said Victoria’s Secret would be the subject of an image overhaul, adding “sexiness can be inclusive”. “Sexiness can celebrate the diverse experiences of our customers and that’s what we’re focused on,” Greg Unis, brand president of the company’s youth-focused venture Victoria’s Secret & Pink, told investors on Thursday (13 October). The reboot is part of a larger strategy to revive its sales after a five-year marketing overhaul fell short of expectations. According to the Business of Fashion, Victoria’s Secret is projecting $6.2bn in earnings this fiscal year – a five per cent drop on sales in 2022, and well below the $7.4bn sales reported in 2018. Now, Victoria’s Secret has laid out a roadmap to bolstering its revenue, including cost-cutting, reviving its swimwear and activewear ranges, and further expanding its offerings to include products such as sweaters, slip dresses, and corsets. Giving its stores a more “welcoming” facelift is also part of the plan. Chief executive Martin Waters added that the retailer’s inclusivity initiatives and campaigns had “not been enough to carry the day”, referring to the company’s performance in recent years. Once the purveyors of Swarovski-studded undergarments and unrealistic body standards, Victoria’s Secret has, in recent years, embarked on a journey to shed its hyper-sexualised image and pay attention to changing social norms. Its initial attempt to adjust its image came hot on the heels of declining sales due to the emergence of inclusive and diversity-friendly brands such as Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty and Third Love, as well as several controversies including top management at L Brands – the former parent company of Victoria’s Secret. In 2018, L Brands’ then-marketing boss Ed Razek sparked a backlash when he declared that Victoria’s Secret would never cast transgender and plus-size models in its annual Fashion show because it’s a “fantasy”. Razek resigned the following year after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour with models – allegations he called “categorically untrue, misconstrued or taken out of context”. Around the same time, an investigation by The New York Times uncovered ties between L Brands’ former chief executive Lex Werne and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which further sullied the reputation of Victoria’s Secret. In an effort to rehabilitate its image, the brand’s recent campaigns have featuring stars such as former US women’s football captain Megan Rapinoe, plus-size models Paloma Elsesser and Ali Tate-Cutler, and Brazillian transgender model Valentina Sampaio. Last month, Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ‘23 was released on Amazon Prime, with the company declaring the televised catwalk event was the “ultimate expression” of its commitment to a new Victoria’s Secret that’s more in step with the times. Despite its struggles, Victoria’s Secret still owns a lion’s share of the north American market today. “We’ve been insufficiently differentiated in this difficult market,” Waters said, during the meeting last Thursday. “[But] our ambition of being the world’s leading fashion retailer of intimates apparel is unchanged.” Read More Victoria’s Secret was never feminist – why are they bothering to try now? Victoria's Secret overhauls its racy fashion catwalk in its latest moves to be more inclusive From Naomi Campbell to Hailey Bieber: All the top models and celebs in Victoria Secret’s new Icons campaign

Chris Hemsworth has opened up about his fitness and lifestyle changes he’s made in the wake of a “shocking” health warning. The Australian actor, 39, discovered during the filming of National Geographic series Limitless that his DNA contains two copies of the gene APOE4, which has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Speaking about the news, the actor, who plays Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), told Vanity Fair: “They took all my bloodwork and did a bunch of tests and the plan was to on-camera tell me all the results and then talk about how you can improve this and that. “And Peter Attia, who is the longevity doctor in that episode, and overseeing a lot of the show, called [show creator] Darren [Aronofsky] and said, ‘I don’t want to tell him this on camera. We need to have an off-side conversation and see if he even wants this to be in the show.’ “It was pretty shocking because he called me up and he told me.” Hemsworth explained that he had certainly not expected to receive such “intense” news as the show was originally intended to be a “fun” way of exploring “longevity”. However, he said: “It was a really good catalyst to dive into everything I needed to be doing in either the prevention front or the management front. “There was an intensity to navigating it. Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it.” Speaking on camera about the discovery, Hemsworth said: “You’re constantly thinking you’re going to live forever, especially as a young individual. Then to be told that this might be the thing that might take you out was like, whoa... it kinda floored me.” Since then, Hemsworth has upheaved his life, and revealed the changes he’s introduced after sdis overing the news. Speaking to Men’s Health, Hemsworth, who is known for his muscly physique, said he is “incorporating more solitude into his life” and has lowered the amount he exercises. “I’ve always been pretty consistent with my exercise commitments, but lately I’ve really felt the importance of taking time for yourself without any outside voice or stimulation and making time for stillness,” he told the outlet. The actor, who is sleeping more regularly as well as having ice baths, also addressed the way his physique changes for roles, stating: “My weight fluctuates a lot due to differing roles and also my own interests in regards to challenging my body in different ways.” He continued: “‘I’m lifting less frequently than I was and I’m incorporating more cardio and endurance workouts which I much prefer than heavy body building style sessions.’ Read More The form of exercise that can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, according to new study Chris Hemsworth criticises Taika Waititi’s Thor film for being ‘too silly’ This is the lesser-known symptom of Alzheimer’s that could affect drivers Brits reveal advice they would give their younger selves What ‘healthy obesity’ really means according to the experts How to get rid of bedbugs: Signs and symptoms amid threat of UK invasion

Executives from companies, banks and asset managers published guidelines aimed at helping businesses disclose the risks they face

Jana Kramer has revealed one of her unlikely triggers for morning sickness. During the 21 August episode of her podcast, Whine Down, the singer explained that toothpaste has made her nauseous throughout her pregnancy. “This is gross but, like, the water and mint [of toothpaste] made me want to vomit in the first trimester, so I couldn’t brush my teeth,” she said. “Like, I just used [Colgate] wisps,” she explained, referring to single-use toothbrushes meant to be used on-the-go, as they don’t require toothpaste. Instead, the toothbrushes have a built-in “freshening bead” that dissolves as you brush. The singer explained that she tried to regularly brush her teeth on multiple occasions, before resorting to her other method. “I would try and then I would gag and then I’d puke and so, it just wasn’t worth the extra puke of the day,” Kramer added. During the podcast, she discussed how nervous she was when the time finally came to go to the dentist, after spending three months not brushing her teeth. Luckily, it appeared to have worked in her favour, as her dentist let her know that she “did a really good job for not brushing your teeth in three months.” “He goes, ‘Everything looks good. Where you’re saying the pain is under a cavity, it’s a cavity tooth,’” the One Tree Hill alum said. “So, he’s like, ‘Nothing looks like it’s cracked or seeping or anything.’ He’s like, ‘I can’t do anything anyway ‘cause your pregnant. But a lot of women - when they’re hormonal - it hurts more, your teeth.’” Kramer also shared in her podcast that she recently discovered cavities can be genetic, and that people can end up with poor teeth despite how well they take care of them. “It makes sense now ‘cause my daughter has two cavities - she’s seven - on her adult teeth,” Kramer explained. “So, I’m like, ‘Oh, I gave it to my daughter.’” She shares daughter Jolie, seven, and son Jace, four, with ex-husband Mike Caussin. In June, Kramer announced she and her fiancé, Allan Russell, are expecting their first child together. “We’ve been keeping another secret from you guys (I promise this is the last announcement... at least for a little while) but I’m pregnant!!!!” she captioned an Instagram post. “Beyond blessed and grateful for this baby to be a part of our story. I never thought I would see the word pregnant again on a test, but I’m thankful for @clearblue for making it as clear as ever,” Kramer added. On her podcast, she revealed that they were expecting a boy. In addition to her aversion to toothpaste, the singer also revealed some of her other pregnancy symptoms in an Instagram Story post on 20 August, per US Weekly. “In the first trimester, I couldn’t really stomach anything but a bagel and cream cheese and now the thought of a bagel and cream cheese makes me want to vomit,” she wrote. “I can’t eat any sweets or my stomach hurts. I’m still nauseous throughout the day but it’s worse at night and in the morning.” Read More Jana Kramer claims her ex-husband cheated on her with ‘more’ than 13 women Jana Kramer clarifies Chris Evans ‘bathroom ghosting’ incident Jana Kramer says brief relationship with Chris Evans ended after ‘mortifying’ bathroom incident