SHANE WATSON: I'm a fashion expert. Yes, you can wear lace over 50, but only if you follow my 3 strict rules and NEVER wear this one colour

What do you think of when you think of lace? Spanish mantillas? Those lacy black tights we all wore in the Eighties? A wedding dress? Princess Caroline of Monaco's wedding dress? (Google it if you don't remember, it's the very heaven of wedding dresses).
I'll tell you what I think when I think about lace: lovely on my stepdaughter, not on me or anyone over 50. A lace trim, a glimpse of lace in the neckline of a jacket, maybe: anything more is an instant ager.

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Times

2 hours ago

• Times

By royal approval: Van Cleef & Arpels' floral jewels

A century ago, the jewellery designer Alfred Van Cleef introduced an extraordinary floral bracelet at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels in Paris, the fair that is credited with launching the art deco movement. Adorned with diamonds, rubies and emeralds set in platinum, Van Cleef's Fleurs enlacées, roses rouges et blanches (Entwined Flowers) cuff evoked a border of blowsy red and white roses and stunned the judges, who awarded the jewel the Grand Prix. Since then, bejewelled buds, sparkling corollas and golden leaves have flourished within Van Cleef & Arpels' design repertoire. 'Nature has been a perennial source of inspiration,' says the company's CEO, Catherine Rénier. 'For me, this theme embodies freshness, vitality and joy.' As the techniques of its craftsmen have evolved, so have the jeweller's motifs. Patented in 1933, its signature Mystery setting allowed precious stones to be arranged tightly together without any visible metal, giving the petals of rose, peony and chrysanthemum brooches an unprecedented volume, depth of colour and almost velvety texture. With the sleek lines and pared-back silhouettes of early mid-century modernism came a plethora of stylised florals, such as the Fleur Silhouette brooch from 1937, which was crafted from loops of gold wire and curved rows of precious stones. Around the same time, Hélène Arpels — the glamorous wife of Louis, the youngest of the Arpels brothers, who regularly appeared on international best-dressed lists — was pictured wearing the house's iconic Passe-Partout collection at the Prix de Diane horse race in Chantilly. These multipurpose jewels had chunky sapphire, ruby and diamond flower clips threaded onto flexible gold 'Tubogas' chains, allowing them to be worn as bracelets, necklaces or belts. By 1939, one of the maison's gem-set posies had found its way into the wardrobe of one of the era's most infamous women, Wallis Simpson. The Duchess of Windsor was a longtime admirer of Van Cleef & Arpels' work, and many of the spectacular jewels in her collection (so large it has been dubbed the 'alternative Crown Jewels') hailed from its atelier, including a ruby and diamond bracelet gifted to her in 1936 by the Duke of Windsor (memorably inscribed with the words 'Hold tight'); a ruby-studded 'cravat' necklace that was a 40th birthday present, and a polished sapphire and diamond clip that she wore for her marriage to the Duke in 1937. For Christmas the following year, the Duchess received an ornate brooch shaped like a bouquet of ruby and sapphire flowers from her doting husband. The 8in-long jewel came from a new Van Cleef & Arpels collection called Hawaï, which featured miniature red and blue blossoms dotted about 18-carat gold stems and leaves. The gift was a hit: the Duchess wore it to sit for the artist Gerald Leslie Brockhurst in 1939 and the resulting portrait was given pride of place in the library at the Windsors' villa in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. (It is now displayed in the National Portrait Gallery in London.) Next month, Van Cleef & Arpels will unveil the latest take on its Hawaï design, entitled Fleurs d'Hawaï, in a garden with a modern royal connection. The capsule line of graphic floral earrings, rings and three 'secret' watches — all composed with vibrant, pear-cut gemstone petals and white diamond pistils set in gold — will debut in a sunny spot within the five-acre Queen Elizabeth walled garden at Dumfries House, the 18th-century Palladian mansion in East Ayrshire that was saved for the nation by King Charles in 2007. The 2,000-acre estate is now also the headquarters of the King's Foundation, a charity founded in 1990 to champion regenerative community projects and sustainability. Since 2023, the maison has been the principal patron of the King's Foundation Gardens and Estates (which also includes the Castle of Mey in Scotland and Highgrove in Gloucestershire), helping to fund its extensive horticultural projects, such as boosting biodiversity and the creation of new woodlands and hedgerows. Among its first initiatives was preserving the rose garden at Dumfries House. The 3,300-plus plants that fill its beds and scramble over its arbours bear luxuriant, fragrant blooms resembling clusters of deep red rubies, pink spinels and peach-tinted sapphires in the summer sunlight. 'It is such a focal point for the celebration of nature and the gardens,' says Simon Sadinsky, executive director at the King's Foundation. 'Dumfries and Van Cleef & Arpels both understand the importance of preserving traditional skills and crafts, and of providing the next generation with the opportunity to learn these traditions. In our one-acre education garden, we teach young people about seasonal growing and sustainable waste. You'll find students from local schools there, as well as trainees and experts from around the world. An appreciation of nature and understanding our part in the ecosystem is really fundamental to the King.' Much like the youth programmes at Dumfries House, a key part of Van Cleef & Arpels' strategy is its own educational platform, De Mains en Mains (From Hands to Hands), which introduces school pupils to the heritage crafts of jewellery making and goldsmithing, and offers mentorship to adults who hope to work in the jewellery sector. It is also growing its manufacturing ateliers in France to meet the demand for its bestsellers, such as the clover-shaped Alhambra design, an evergreen favourite of the Queen and the Princess of Wales. Each 18-carat gold four-leaf motif is still finished entirely by hand and every one of its colourful ornamental stone centres is cut and polished by an artisan, just as they were when the collection first appeared in 1968.

The Sun

2 hours ago

• The Sun

Bargain hunters are raving about ‘best' £2 Primark buy that's ‘essential' for festivals & it'll be great for Glastonbury

Abigail Wilson, Senior Digital Writer Published: Invalid Date, DESPITE temperatures continuing to rise, all of us in the UK will know that you should never underestimate when rain could be lurking right around the corner. And with festival season fast approaching, we've found a must-have buy that you'll want to take in your bag. 4 4 4 So if you're going to Glastonbury next week and want to be prepared for all types of weather, you've come to the right place. It comes as bargain hunters are raving about an affordable buy from Primark that's perfect for outdoor events. Not only is it cheap, but it'll keep you dry in unexpected downpours, without you needing to carry around a heavy coat or huge umbrella. Impressed with the high-street buy, Georgie Willis took to social media to share her find with others, leaving many totally stunned. Posting online, Georgie gave her followers a close-up look at the new-in £2 buy - a Water Resistant Raincoat. The raincoat is available in two styles - clear and pink - and at just £2, we think it's a real steal. Thrilled with the bargain buy, the content creator beamed: 'A solid Primark find!' Thanks to this raincoat, you're sure to stay dry during showers, whenever and wherever you are. It folds down nicely and comes in a compact plastic case, which is great for keeping in your pocket or shoving in a bag. It even has a hook so it can be attached to the outside of your rucksack for easy access. 'In our cowboy era,' fashion fans race to Primark to get their hands on 'summer concert essential' that's loved by Beyonce But you'll need to move quickly if you want to nab it in time for Glastonbury, as like all Primark finds, it is sure to sell out fast. And it's clear that the TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ _georgiewillis, has left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 955,300 views. It's also amassed 38,000 likes, 248 comments and 17,500 shares. Social media users were impressed with the raincoat and eagerly raced to the comments to express this. One person said: 'Need to go Primark.' Another added: 'Handy. I'll have to look for these.' Glastonbury 2025 - confirmed acts so far TICKETS to the 2025 festival sold out in just minutes before some of the acts were even confirmed. Here is who has been confirmed so far. Confirmed headliners: The 1975 will take to the Pyramid Stage on Friday. Neil Young will headline the festival for the second time after his last set in 2009 on Saturday after RAYE makes her return. Charli xcx will headline the Other Stage on Saturday night. On Sunday, Olivia Rodrigo is due to belt out her hits for her first appearance while Rod Stewart will perform in the legends slot. More acts to appear on the Other Stage include Loyle Carner and The Prodigy. Doechii will make her Glastonbury debut on the West Holts Stage on Saturday night. Other names confirmed include Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, Gracie Abrams, Busta Rhymes, Lola Young, Brandi Carlile, Myles Smith, En Vogue, Amaarae, Cymande, Shaboozey, Osees and Gary Numan. A third commented: 'UK summer essentials.' Meanwhile, one happy shopper beamed: 'Best thing I bought. Super handy and stayed dry!! Was able to fit back into the bag with no problems.' At the same time, someone else wrote: 'My grandma used to carry these in her handbag. Glad to see them making a comeback!'

Daily Mail​

3 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

Billi Mucklow shows ex Andy Carroll what he's missing as she sizzles in stylish bikinis while soaking up the sun in Mallorca

Billi Mucklow flaunted her incredible figure in a series of scorching bikini snaps posted to Instagram while enjoying the sunshine in a Mallorca getaway. The TOWIE star, who officially split from Premier League player Andy Carroll last September, looked incredible as she modelled an array of beachwear. In one photo, Billi, 37, rocked a plunging brown two-piece, accessorised with oversized shades and a glass of rosé. In another shot, the TV sensation put on a leggy display in a bright blue bikini, flaunting her enviable frame. She captioned the post: 'Back To My Happy Place,' as she made the most of her sun-soaked getaway. Her tropical holiday comes after her ex Andy enjoyed a getaway of his own with his new girlfriend Lou Teasdale, with the pair documenting the trip online. Andy and Billi called it quits divorce after two years of turbulent marriage, the footballer confirmed last year. In 2022, Andy's wedding to Billi was almost called off when he was pictured drunkenly passed out in bed with two women in Dubai on his stag do. Billi forgave him after one of the women insisted nothing sexual happened. Less than two years after their nuptials, the couple's marriage was over - with Andy confirming they had started divorce proceedings after 'a hard few months for our family'. Andy said in a statement at the time: 'Billi and I have privately separated earlier this year and we are under way with our divorce proceedings'. 'It has been a hard few months for our family and we continue to move forward amicably for our children.' Andy and Billi have three children together Arlo, Wolf, and Marvel Mae and she also raises his two children Emilie Rose, 15, and Lucas, 14 from his past relationship. Meanwhile a source told The Sun: 'Andy and Billi care about each other a lot and have made some great memories together, but decided it was best for the family if they went their separate ways having grown apart.' Weeks after their split came to light, Andy and celebrity hairstylist Lou Teasdale, 42, revealed their relationship and now he is reportedly set on tying the knot with her. Billi's legal team is reportedly working out the details of her divorce from multi-millionaire footballer Andy and sources say she has 'no interest' in dating anyone new for the time being. The exes reportedly sold their sprawling mansion for a huge seven-figure sum seven months after filing for divorce. Their shared house, which used to belong to Rod Stewart, cost the couple £4.1million in 2019 however it was thought to be worth closer to £8.5million last year. And now, The Sun has revealed that Andy has accepted a seven-figure offer on the home.