Weather
English
RocksNews

International news in seven languages

Advertisement
Advertisement

Style

From granny hoods to recycled macs: 13 more sustainable ways to stay dry when it rains

Whether it’s Pfas-free tote bags or wash-in waterproofing, here’s how women can stay dry in style – and with less waste • The best umbrellas – tested After the hottest UK summer on record, autumn 2026 could be wetter and stormier than usual, partly because of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is predicted to be the strongest of its kind in living memory. But a lot of wet-weather gear – from flimsy umbrellas that blow inside out within seconds to single-use ponchos that will sit in landfill long after this winter has blown over – often isn’t very sustainable. While waterproofed polyester ca

‘No influencers’: the hotels, restaurants and beauty spots restricting photoshoots

Backlash against content creators includes restricted hours for filming and even outright bans Stand in any vaguely photogenic spot these days on holiday and the chances are you will come across people posing with raised phones and even ring lights. Some may be influencers with huge audiences on social media, others just overkeen Instagram users. With hotels and beauty spots now so overrun, however, bans on photography are coming into place. The five-star Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, known for its glamorous clientele, views of the Côte d’Azur and a stunning infinity pool, has brought in r

Alexandra Shulman: ‘Which book am I ashamed not to have read? Literally the whole canon of classic English literature’

The former British Vogue editor-in-chief and author on a romantic kiss on a traffic island, her school-run regrets, and a very expensive nude Born in London, Alexandra Shulman, 68, studied social anthropology at the University of Sussex. She was a secretary at Over 21 magazine and, in the early 80s, became a journalist at Tatler. In 1990, she was made editor of British GQ and, from 1992 to 2017, she was editor‑in‑chief of British Vogue. For her contribution to fashion journalism, she was awarded both an OBE and a CBE. Her books include novels and the bestselling memoir, Clothes … and Other Thi

Game, set and tache: Carlos Alcaraz joins growing trend for a stylish top lip

Tennis superstar is latest celebrity to sport a ‘refined’ moustache which owes little to bushy Tom Selleck look The tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz might have been knocked out of the Shanghai Masters in straight sets earlier this week, but he did so sporting a moustache that became almost as remarked upon as his aptitude for a sneaky drop shot. “I always wanted to step on the court at least once with the moustache,” Alcaraz said. The Spaniard and his team had all agreed to take the facial-hair plunge if he won the Japan Open, which he did for a second straight year. “¡Bigotes para todos!” or “

How to dress a tech oligarch: The Social Reckoning’s costume designer on Zuckerberg’s style evolution

Susan Lyall worked with actor Jeremy Strong to research the Meta CEO’s favorite Nikes and luxury sweaters The first Aaron Sorkin Facebook movie, 2010’s The Social Network, helped cement the early aughts image of Mark Zuckerberg rebelling against corporate norms in rumpled hoodies and T-shirts. The follow-up, The Social Reckoning, is carbon-dated from 2019 to 2021. This is “post-hoodie”, as the movie’s costume designer, Susan Lyall, describes it, “post-thumbing his nose” to formality. It is also peak robot. Zuckerberg’s reserved wardrobe of suits or interchangeable long-sleeved shirts echo his

Victoria Beckham, ‘duck face’ and onesies: nine things Zoolander predicted about fashion

It’s been 25 years since the release of this film skewering an industry that famously takes itself very seriously. It might have been comedy gold but it was also, in its own way, prophetic • Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Critics were divided, the US release date couldn’t have been worse (a few days after 9/11) and the sequel was a flop. Yet few films have predicted fashion’s own present like 2001’s Zoolander. The memeable absurdist comedy about the “three-times male model of the year” was a cinematic Cassandra: correctly predicting themes, styles and sensibi

20 of the best women’s shoes and boots for autumn, from ballet flats to knee-highs

Whether it’s sleek slip-ons or stompers that mean business, we’ve got the standout pairs for the changing season • 52 women’s autumn wardrobe updates You’ve dug out your knitwear, made a list of cosy TV shows to watch and posted a shot of your first pumpkin spice latte. Autumn is officially here! Now it’s time to start thinking seriously about your footwear. October is nice because it’s usually warm enough to still have a bit of flesh on show, so you can get away with Mary Janes or ballet flats. But it’s also not too hot for boots if you want something with a little more stomp. Here’s a select

Advertisement

Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion: this season’s vibe is lady who lounges - not lunches

Think boucle jackets with low-waisted jeans, silk blouses with masculine trousers, pencil skirts with wellies … It always makes me feel a tiny bit queasy when looking “ladylike”, as a trend or a vibe or whatever, comes into fashion. How does it make sense to spend our hard-earned paychecks cosplaying as women of lunches and leisure? You can’t deny these clothes are cute, though. A boucle jacket can make you feel as if the Eiffel Tower might come into view around the next corner, even though you are in the wrong country. A mini-heel lets you imagine you might be having a glass of sancerre with

‘Children are naturally drawn to beauty’: the head of the ‘Issey Miyake’ preschool on their pleated uniforms

Ms Lam Montessori’s head of school reveals teachers wear a different Japanese designer after their chic clothes drew online envy “Does anyone know what the deal is Ms Lam Montessori … and why all their employees wear Issey Miyake … every day … I’m confused and a bit jealous,” asked one commenter on the Williamsburg subreddit last week, sparking a unexpected viral moment for a chain of Brooklyn Montessori preschools. The poster was responding to photos on the Montessori’s website of the teachers’ uniforms: raspberry, cobalt and apple green dresses in plissé fabric. They appeared to be from the

Check the waistband – and beware sneaky jargon: the expert guide to buying clothes that last

Should you look for French seams or overlocking? Is dry-clean only a red flag? And how do you spot quality when shopping online? We asked the pros • How to make your leather last a lifetime Take a look at the outfit you’re wearing now: how many times have you worn each item? And how long have you had them? Just over 10 years ago, Eco-Age founder Livia Firth and journalist Lucy Siegle launched the 30 wears challenge to encourage people to buy clothes they would wear at least 30 times. The 30 wears challenge is a great concept. As a journalist interested in sustainable fashion, I’ve enjoyed appl

‘People sell their best stuff on Vinted’ – how charity shops became a dumping ground for unsellable clothes

Swamped with ‘daily avalanches’ of soiled items and poor-quality fast fashion, secondhand stores are in crisis. What went wrong with people’s good intentions? And is it possible to donate more effectively? The small stockroom of St Raphael’s Hospice charity shop in Cheam, south London, is rammed with donations. “On average, we get 30 to 50 bags a day,” says Caroline Worley, the commercial manager, “but it’s not unusual to receive over 100.” This might sound like a good problem to have, but the sheer volume of stuff is the shop’s biggest challenge. “Sometimes, there’s only [enough] floor space

‘Our town is making jeans again’: meet the firm reviving jobs and skills in Wales

In the first article in a series on high end British manufacturing, we visit the Hiut Denim factory in Cardigan Worn on the streets of London’s Soho, San Francisco or Sydney, every pair of high-end jeans made by Hiut Denim comes from the rather unlikely location of a small coastal town in west Wales. Cardigan, with a population of just 4,200, has a proud history of denim production and was once home to Britain’s largest jeans factory, even if the town’s name recalls a different garment entirely. Continue reading...

Squeezy olive oil bottles, Meghan’s pot filler tap and the rise of ‘cheffy’ kit in home kitchens

Social media ‘chefluencers’ and open restaurant kitchens have made chefs more visible and inspired aspirational gadget-buying The Duchess of Sussex is no ordinary home cook, but when Meghan appeared on Instagram this week at a hob presided over by a special pot filler tap, it spoke to a shift in the everyday kitchen – the rise of “cheffy” kit. While the pot filler is now most often found in luxury residential kitchens, it was reportedly invented in the early 20th century as a functional fixture for commercial kitchens. It joins a wealth of other restaurant equipment to have infiltrated our hom

Privileged and proud: how nepo babies took fashion month by storm

From commanding the catwalks to acting as plus-ones for their famous parents, celebrity kids are bang on trend Knee-length skirts and bras worn as tops were two of the main takeaways from fashion month, which wrapped up this week. But the biggest trend had nothing to do with clothing. From New York and London to Milan and Paris, the shows were the ultimate proof of a nepo baby takeover. John Travolta’s daughter, Ella Bleu, 26, made her Paris catwalk debut at Miu Miu. Apple Martin, 22, the daughter of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow, walked the Chloé show. Continue reading...

Advertisement

The fashion industry wants women to wear bras again - but is underwire the answer?

From Charli xcx and Rihanna to Victoria’s Secret and Prada catwalks, the fashion industry is keen to move on from the comfy, wire-free bras popularized in lockdown It’s a trend that might have been expected to be kept under the radar – or at least under a T-shirt. But high fashion’s recent endorsement of underwire bras could not have been more visible. This fashion month, underwear as outerwear was omnipresent on catwalks, with underwire bras in red and black satin at Prada and black and silver at Tom Ford. At the Matieres Fecales show, Rihanna wore a bra from her own Savage X Fenty range peek

‘My dog’s built her own fashion community’: how canine companions stole the fashion week spotlight

Our four-legged friends are turning heads from Louis Vuitton to Schiaparelli – but what does their presence in the most exclusive of spaces say about the industry’s changing attitudes? • Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here The front row at a fashion week show is a known hotspot for celebrities. During the most recent iteration that wrapped up on Tuesday, sightings included Heathcliff, AKA Jacob Elordi, high-fiving the Adolescence star Owen Cooper at Bottega Veneta; Rihanna arriving 63 minutes late to the Matières Fécales show; and Dua Lipa gossiping with Nicole Ki

50 men’s autumn fashion updates for under £100 (mostly) – some are even free

Oversized coats, relaxed-fit trousers and secondhand jumpers that will last for years to come … here’s how to build an effortlessly cool autumn wardrobe on a budget • The best men’s shirts for every occasion It’s time to pack away your weekly rotation of T-shirts and shorts and start thinking about layers. As always, there’s no shortage of inspiration for your autumn look. The menswear shows displayed their usual styling tricks: at Prada, the exaggerated shirt cuff became this season’s unlikely focal point. Then, there are the It boys, old and new, who are always good for a sartorial steer: co

‘It’s not about sex but empowerment’: why I picked a ‘naked’ frock as dress of the year

Sarah Burton’s sporty, daffodil mesh dress made me smile. But the reason I chose it for Fashion Museum Bath is because it tells the story of our times, when bodies are more political than ever One morning in February this year, I opened my laptop to find an email with an all-caps subject line: TOP SECRET. Being a fashion editor can be exciting but state secrets are not generally my beat, so I was intrigued. Sure enough, it was a thrill: an invitation from the Fashion Museum Bath to choose their Dress of the Year for 2025. What an honour. Dress of the Year began in 1963, the brainchild of the m