May 2016 INTRODUCING ANNE-MARIE 2016's One to watch
ASHLEY GRAHAM EXCLUSIVE
QUEEN Adele
“You're
going to be a plus size model so don't even worry about the bullies because they're going to be stacking the magazines you're on the cover of!"
10 REASONS SHE'S STILL THE BEST Carpool passenger
Feminism is NOt a dirty word
THE EVOLUTION OF
BEYONCÈ SPECIAL FEATURE INSIDE
FASHION Splurge V Save Sweet Summer Get the look
THIS MONTHS #GIRLCRUSH REVEALED Page | 1
A Letter from the Editor This editors letter comes to you from a comfy corner of the local coffee shop where I am currently sipping on my third Americano of the day, wondering if I should have purchased that Paperchase organiser in January after all. I conclude that I probably should have as a little organisation is something my life is crying out for right now. With a dissertation due in a week, starting a new job and a graduation to prepare for I am feeling rather reflective about just how far I have come since my teens. Growing up I was badly bullied for my weight and height, the bullying was both emotional and physical and left me lacking confidence and self-esteem. As a result I began to doubt my ability in everything and had no faith in myself. At 16 I was referred to a counsellor and was diagnosed with severe social anxiety and depression. Roger, my counsellor encouraged me to 'just be' and to learn to let go of everything that had hurt me. In just under one year, my life turned around. My confidence came back, I began to enjoy socialising again, I valued my happiness, the way I saw the world and what I wanted from it. I started saying 'Why not?' instead of 'Cannot' and was determined to keep improving, learning and growing. It's not been an easy journey and as life tests you and you face conflict and adversity there's always that little niggle of self-doubt, but I've learnt to appreciate that as I think it keeps me self-aware. It reminds me to register how I'm feeling and to always remember that my relationship with myself is the most important relationship I'll ever have. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank every person who has been a part of this journey, my friends and family who understand that mental health issues are a part of life and a part of mine and have embraced talking openly about them with me. Without you, I wouldn't be nearing my graduation, a confident young woman with a strong sense of purpose, a feeling that she has a place in this world and a happy future ahead of her.
In keeping with this theme, this issue is all about self-acceptance, empowerment and striving for positive change. Life is about growth, never stunt your own or that of others. Have an amazing month guys!
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2016 FASHION Page 4 - Fashion Finds - Phoebe Lettice takes us through the hottest trends for summer 2016 Page 5 - Splurge Vs Save - All the latest designer shoes at a snip of the price
MONTHLY Page 8 - #Girlcrush - This month's Girl Crush is revealed as nominated by you beautiful people Page 10 - The evolution of .. Queen Beyoncè Knowles takes centre stage in this month's 'evolution of' Page 30 - Confessions Corner - The most embarrassing first dates
Page 6 - Get their look - High street matches for the coolest celeb looks Page 7 - Sweet Summer - The Bikini lowdown you need this summer
COVERGIRL Page 21 - Ashley Graham - An Interview with .. We sat down with the woman of the moment to talk all things selfacceptance, healthy body image, being a role model and sexy lingerie. #R&RMAY2016 TWEET US WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS MONTHS ISSUE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A YEARS FREE SUBSCRIPTION
OPINION Page 16 - Feminism is not a dirty word - Everything you need to know about international women's day and why you should be a part of it. Page 27 - Talkback - What's with all the labelling? we talkback about the war on size.
MUSIC & TELEVISION Page 18 - Queen Adele - Why she'll always be the queen of carpool. Page 19 - One to watch Introducing Anne-Marie .. the new IT GIRL. Page | 3
This month's fashion finds comes from former Made In Chelsea star and fashion designer Phoebe Lettice. @phoebelettice
Move over Gladiators, there's a new lace up sandal in town. These are perfect because they're comfy but stylish. Wear with culottes and a cropped top for an effortlessly stylish day look. ASOS £38
At last .. Satin slips are back and with mesh cut-outs and sheer inserts they're the go to item for a look that nails understated sexy. Keep hair and makeup simple and let this dress do the talking. A chunky block heel is perfect for a 90's vibe. Boohoo £12
It's all about the denim mini this season and with double denim and denim patchwork making a huge comeback why not combine the two trends. Do casual cool with a baggy t-shirt tucked in or stylish smart with a denim shirt and chunky wedges. River Island £35
Crochet tops and scallop hems are everywhere this season and are perfect for the festivals or a last minute BBQ. Keep co-ord pieces simple, for a really fabulous summer look team with a lemon leather pencil skirt and white pointed courts. Missguided £21
This coin, lace and tassel embellished cross body bag is perfect for every occasion. Whether you're heading out for dinner with the girls, hitting Glasto or have a hot date, it's a must have. ASOS £40
The Cat-eye is the go to sunglasses frame for an effortlessly glamorous look. These matte mint babies look amazing with a tan and some gold jewellery. Jeepers Peepers £18 The Choker-Bodysuit combo is set to be BIG. An effortless cool which looks amazing by the pool or tucked inside distressed denim shorts. Keep hair sleek and combed back for a catwalk ready look. NaaNaa £24
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Aquazzura £490
MANOLO BLAHNIK £695
Perfect for reviving a pair of old jeans.
PUBLIC DESIRE £29.99
Ideal for weddings and graduations.
MATALAN £18
Pssst ..
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN £755
GIAVANTO ROSSI £1,180
Why not do a little DIY to your BCBG lookalikes for the full designer match.
BCBG £51.99
£14.99 Red-soles UK
When a steal is this great you don't need a reason to buy .. just buy.
STEAL DANIEL VANBRUGH £79.99 Page | 5
Gigi Hadid
Uniqlo £19.99
The hottest celebrity looks this month at a fraction of the price.
ASOS £42
New Look £12.99
Noisy May at ASOS £34
Fern Cotton
River Island £20
Dune £75
ASOS £17
Missguided £8
Quay £15
New Look £27.99
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The summer season is upon us once again ladies. Which means the hours stood in front of unflattering shop mirrors wishing we hadn't tucked into those few doughnuts in the staff room or gone for full fat milk in our latte are also upon us! We want you to feel nothing but fabulous this summer so to help you out, here at fashion HQ we've been busy finding you the best looks for your holiday wardrobe, here's our top 10 looks for summer 2016.
Victoria Secret £28.31 & £16.18
H&M £12.99 & £7.99
Next £32
Ann Summers £28 & £14
ASOS £16 & £18
ASOS £28
Ann Summers £26 & £12
Seafolly £80 & £74
This season it's all about mesh inserts, fishnet panels, lace ups and cut outs. The high waist brief is back and it's all about the details. Sporty styles have made a comeback which means comfort is fashionable again, with paisley, tie-dye and tropical prints appearing on the runway it's all about standing out this summer with denim patchwork also making a long awaited comeback! In the office, we are loving Ann Summers who have nailed the sexy swimwear look - not brave enough to rock just the two piece? Add a sheer cover-up for understated sexy. Happy holidays from fashion HQ ♥
Minkpink £30 & £35
Missguided £15 & £15
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@KhloeKardashian Her weight has been a constant fixation of the press since the family shot to fame in 2007 with reality television show Keeping up with the Kardashians . For years the press taunted Khloe Kardashian, with some even going so far as to speculate that she was only a half-sibling to sisters Kourtney and Kim and was the result of an affair 'momager' Kris Jenner had had years prior. The reason for these claims? Because she wasn't deemed to be as beautiful, petite or svelte as her sisters, subsequently positioning her as the ugly duckling of the family. Despite her confidence being continually knocked, she found love with Lamar Odom, marrying in 2009 just a month after they first met. Sadly, it was a short lived fairytale and the couple separated in 2013 amid speculation that Lamar had been unfaithful during the marriage with a divorce being finalised in 2015. Nowadays, the most important relationship in Khloe's life is the one she has with the gym. She enjoys daily workouts with personal trainer to the stars, Gunnar Peterson and has transformed her body over the past 2 and a half years. It is reported that the star has lost around 40lbs and we have to say, she is looking incredible! Bringing a whole new meaning to the term revenge body, Khloe is rocking her curves in a fabulous fashion. Her book 'Strong looks better naked' put Khloe on the map as an author, with the book debuting on the Times best sellers list after just 4 days of sales. One reviewer praised the reality tv star writing “The book is part memoir, part self-help, and part diet-and-exercise guide. And all of it is very Khloe‌self-deprecating, candid, sincere, and vulnerable" and frankly, we couldn't agree more. Following the books success offers came flooding in for Khloe to strip off for numerous glossy magazines and photoshoots. Never one to be camera shy, sister Kim urged Khloe to do a photoshoot for Complex magazine to showcase her new body and celebrate her achievements. Eventually Khloe got her kit off and the world sat open mouthed as the pictures appeared across a variety of social media. Like the rest of the watching world we couldn't believe how strong and toned the star looked, oozing confidence as she posed in a number of ensembles in an industrial-esque gym scene. It's clear that the stars transformation has been one of not just the body but the mind too. We salute you Miss Kardashian and we will be in the gym if you need us ..
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2003
She's the Queen of the music industry, the most nominated woman in the history of the Grammys with 53 nominations and 20 awards, not to mention the 181 awards won from a total of 468 industry nominations. With the release of her sixth studio album and second visual album Lemonade being the only thing anyone is talking about, we decided to take it back to the start of the Beyoncè experience ..
2004
2005
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2006 2007
2008
2006 Alter Ego Sasha fierce is born
2009
2008 Weds JAY-Z in a secret ceremony 2010
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2011
2011 - Wins Billboard Millennium award, announces pregnancy and headlines Glastonbury
2012
2012 Becomes mother to Blue Ivy 2013
2013 - Releases first visual album. New alter ego Yoncè is born
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2014
2015
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2016
2016 - A new political Beyoncè emerges, She releases second visual album Lemonade, with the themes of infidelity, anger, forgiveness and redemption running throughout. Tracks such as 'Freedom' refer to the historical oppression of black African Americans, with 'Formation' confronting racism in the U.S and raising awareness for the #blacklivesmatter campaign. Sportswear line IVY PARK launches in the UK.
Shop now at www.ivypark.com Page | 14
SHOP NOW
SHOP NOW
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With International Women's Day only a few weeks behind us, let us not forget just how important it is for gender equality to be established universally. " In black and white, Feminism is not a dirty word, it is a movement, one we should all be a part of." by Jade Cook
Firstly, IWD is a celebration of Women. It is a celebration of just how far we've come in terms of our political, social, economic and cultural progress in our fight for equality. However, it is also a chance to turn our attention to where progress has slowed and the areas that need urgent action. The vision is to unite in our bid for gender parity worldwide. "Girls education is a strategic development investment – evidence shows that girls’ education brings a wide range of benefits not only for the girls themselves but also for their children and their communities, as well as society at large in terms of economic growth" - The World Bank Organisation
Women have long been campaigning for equality in many areas, from education, to a voice within politics, access to the same economic prospects as men and most importantly, closing the gender pay gap which still sees a man paid more than you for doing the exact same job. "Girls education is a strategic development investment – evidence shows that girls’ education brings a wide range of benefits not only for the girls themselves but also for their children and their communities, as well as society at large in terms of economic growth" - The World Bank Organisation
To deny women access to these areas is simply unacceptable and although improvements are being made and worldwide statistics show that more women than ever are now entering schools for both primary and secondary education, there is still much to be done. This is where you come in to the equation .. IWD doesn't have to be limited to just one day. There are many ways for you to get involved and raise awareness for women worldwide, everyday. Whether you want to tweet in unity using the #Pledgeforparity hashtag, or want to learn more about the movement and how you can show support or raise awareness, you'll find everything you need at www.internationalwomensday.com - so girls, get involved! It is important to stress to modern day women that this doesn't mean that we are against men, it isn't designed to provoke men or assume that we have an entitlement to more than any man does. It is simply a chance for us to join together and speak on behalf of all the women around the world who cannot raise their own voices loud enough to be heard. Get involved, be proud to be a woman and exercise your right to speak your mind on IWD and everyday because ladies, Feminism is not a dirty word, it is a movement focussed on the social, political and economic equality of the sexes and that is something to be proud of being a part of. Page | 16
www.worldbank.org www.unicef.org www.weforum.org www.equalityhumanrights.com
www.shriverreport.org
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Unless you've been living under a rock, then you'll know all about James Corden's Carpool karaoke in which artists are picked up by James for a drive, natter and sing-a-long to their greatest hits. Although Stevie Wonder brought a tear to the nations eye and the Beibs making a triple appearance was quite a treat , one passenger in particular will always reign supreme and that passenger is Adele. Just in case you missed it, here's our reasons why ...
5. When she revealed she'd got so drunk recently that she'd paid for a strangers dinner and given tour tickets to another family.
6. When 'Wannabe' by the Spice girls came on and this happened. 1. James giving Adele hair advice regarding her 'mum bob'.
7. And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, she rapped Nicki Minaj's Monster verse word for word.
2. This priceless reaction when James harmonised with her.
8. When James pitched the idea of getting a HYPEMAN and she was loving it.
3. When she dropped the bombshell that it was her who played the drums on 'Hello'.
9. And then she realised very quickly that James wanted to be the HYPEMAN as he cheered "From the A to the D to the E-L-E" whilst fist pumping to Rolling in the deep. 4. The fact that she took her mug of tea with her in the car .. a true Brit, we salute you Adele, we've all done it.
10 .. we got to hear her beautiful voice which sounds even more amazing live than it does on record and saw just how much like us she really is. Adele, you will forever be the Queen of Carpool on this side of the pond and James, we love you too. Page | 18
The Essex-born songstress who has spent the past two years on tour with Rudimental, is on our 'Ones to watch' list as she finally branches out on her own. With regards to her success with the drum and bass band she notes that she's "experienced so much that she wouldn't have been able to had she not hooked up with them" but is ready to make the jump from feature artist to solo.
Now 24, Anne-Marie is ready to take the music industry by storm and she's already off to quite a start with her debut single 'Do it right' at almost 2 million views on YouTube and her face gracing the 'Futures issue' of Fabulous magazine at the start of the year. The hype around her is only set to increase with her innovative style and punchy vocals mixed with a street edge and a wardrobe to die for. With the likes of Ed Sheeran and Jessie J already backing her, it's unlikely she'll disappear from the scene as quickly as she's emerged onto it. She's an opinionated young woman who very clearly knows her own mind and uses her social networking sites to teach women about valuing bravery over perfection and feeling comfortable expressing themselves. Marking international women's day she wrote;
Add to this her title as a 3 time Karate world champion it's safe to say this girl is quite a force to be reckoned with and we're loving everything she's about right now.
'Do it right' is available on iTunes now
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At a curvy size 16, Ashley Graham is not your stereotypical fashion model. The 29 year old is determined to change society's view of beauty by embracing her plus size status and encouraging woman all around the world to follow suit. We sat down to talk lingerie lines, healthy body image, the future and making history with THAT sports illustrated cover.
R&R: You're very committed to maintaining your fitness, how do you stay motivated when your schedule is so busy?
AG: Some people have a therapist, for me my therapy is going to the gym and zoning out for an hour. I recently bought a TRX training band so I can still workout when I'm away on business, they're so convenient and versatile, I think everyone should have one! When I'm at home, my personal trainer definitely puts me through my paces though - He's a scary man, I'd never cancel a session!
R&R: You post a lot of exercise related content on your Instagram account which attracted internet trolls who made malicious comments about your weight. How do you deal with the negativity?
AG: Those who have the time to hide behind computer screens, writing nasty comments about people they've never met are not worth your headspace. I've always been bullied about my size so I've grown a thick skin. The irony is that they call me "A lazy fat B****" in the comments section of a video of me busting my ass in the gym - it makes zero sense. If your point isn't even valid then I won't justify it with a response. I just Page | 21 do me.
R&R: You are very passionate about ensuring young women are realistic about what a woman's body is supposed to look like. Why is this so important to you? AG: Growing up I always felt different and people tried to make me feel inferior about what made me different. Rather than embracing my natural shape I spent years hating myself and feeling inadequate because I didn't have the stereotypically 'perfect' body. Your adolescent years are your formative years and during that time you are at your most impressionable and vulnerable. As a society we should be doing so much more to project a healthy body image. It's never going to be a case of one size fits all because peoples shapes and sizes are so varied but it would help if all shapes and sizes were acknowledged and accepted rather than compared and pitted against each other. The thing is it's always going to be about whether or not you are healthy and people forget that... R&R: Speaking of which, let's talk about that Sports Illustrated cover, what an amazing mark to make for plus size women, you must be very proud..
R&R: If you could write a letter to your teenage self now, what would it say? AG: It would say 'Don't listen to any of the negativity because one day, all the unhappiness you feel now will disappear. One day you will be happy and you will love your body, not because you changed it but because you accepted it. Oh .. and you're going to be a plus size model so don't even worry about the bullies, because they're going to be stacking the magazines you're on the cover of!'
AG: It was an absolute honour to be the first plus size woman to grace the front of the swimwear issue. I was extremely nervous but I think that's natural when you're breaking convention. The feedback has been amazing and so many women have thanked me for reminding them that being bigger doesn't make you some sort of second rate human being who isn't worth a look in - damn if you feel sexy, then go be sexy! As Eleanor Roosevelt once said 'Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent' and those are words that I live by! Page | 22
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R&R: Talking of feeling sexy, your new underwear range is to die for! How involved are you in the creative process? AG:I am involved in all stages of the creative process, for me it's all about making comfy sexy. Like most women when I put on lingerie I want to feel good, because if I feel good then I look good.
I often ask my husband for his opinion on the designs too as for most women, lingerie is as much of a present to their partner as it is a present to themselves. I like to hold focus groups with other plus size women to gage what the lingerie market is lacking and what it is that women want from my designs. Just because you have large breasts and a bigger booty doesn't mean you should be hiding it in frumpy underwear built solely for support with no eye in the detail. R&R: What are your business plans for the future? AG: There's so much that I'd like to do! I want to do everything and I want to do it now! Something I'd like to start doing are body image workshops. I'd take them around schools and colleges to educate women about being healthy and confident in their bodies. I'd also like to branch out into hair and make-up. Having my hair and make-up done is my favourite part of being a model and the best thing about photoshoots. You can literally become a different person by the way you style your hair and do your make-up, I love the freedom of expression and experimenting with different looks so that's definitely up there! R&R: How about a swimwear range? You could debut it in next year's Sports Illustrated? AG: It's funny you should mention that because I said after the shoot that I'd like to do that too! I told you, I want to do everything! Page | 24
QUICK FIRE ROUND WITH ASHLEY GRAHAM COFFEE OR TEA? Coffee, always coffee! SWEET OR SAVOURY? Savoury, I love chips and dips! TAKEAWAY OR DINE OUT? Always dine out, I love getting dressed up! TRAINERS OR HEELS? Heels, they make everything longer! PET HATE? People interrupting me or being hypocritical LAST SONG YOU DOWNLOADED? Meghan Trainor - No LAST ITEM YOU BOUGHT? A muffin .. my trainer is going to kill me SLEEP IN OR EARLY RISE? Early rise, I am such a get up and go person FAVOURITE PERFUME? Agent Provocateur FAVOURITE FILM? Erin Brockovich; Julia is amazing in everything Ashley's underwear line
'The Ashley Graham collection' is available online now at http://www.ashleygrahamcollections.com/
@theashleygraham @TheAshleyGraham Page | 25
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Cosmopolitan Magazine recently posted an article featuring Remi Ray and why she’s embracing the term ‘plus-size’. In the article Remi confronts the term and explains why she’s not ashamed of the label and I agree with her; it’s not the label that causes upset, it’s the connotations it carries and the way society has attributed such an undercurrent of negativity to the term. Nowadays, the label itself is bypassed with the recipient fixating on what the speaker might have ‘really meant’. Meaning is existing in the subtext rather than the text itself – and this is the problem.
It’s undeniable that, in today’s society, there’s a certain stigma attached to being deemed ‘bigger than average’. The problem here, of course, is the definition of ‘average’ according to today’s media. The beauty industry as a whole isn’t representing actual average sized women; it’s representing an average where ‘size zero’ is one end of the spectrum and where a size 10-12 model is ‘plus-size’ if she is part of a campaign fronted by a major fashion house. This makes their version of an ‘average’ sized woman at around a size 6-8, which is part of the reason that it’s unhealthy for every woman to compare themselves to this one standard of beauty and feel that they are lacking in themselves if they cannot compete. What I cannot stress enough is that this is neither a pro-curves article, nor an article in support of size zero. This is an article that is in support of women, an article that is asking why we are allowing labels to dictate not only how we view ourselves, but also how we view each other. If a woman is naturally ‘thin’ by label, with her hipbones slightly visible and her collarbone protruding she’ll be treated by society as though she has an eating disorder of some kind that allows her to maintain such a figure. If a woman wants to lift weights, challenge her body and build her strength she might reasonably be labelled ‘strong’, but then she’s criticised for being ‘masculine’ – and as a woman, this is of course grounds to be deemed ‘unattractive’, right? Any woman who labels herself ‘curvy’ is accused of implying that she is the epitome of ‘a real woman’, thus making any woman who isn’t curvaceous feel like she’s being called out for not being a ‘real woman’. The implications of labels are never explicitly said, but because of our incessant need to compare and judge people by what they are or what they are not, we take it that any attributes we lack ultimately make us less of a person, when they don’t. Page | 27
Think of it this way: When we die, nobody writes in our eulogy what our hip to waist ratio was, nobody remembers us by the body shape we had, nobody defines our character based on the number on the scales – because it’s not important. All that labels are doing is telling somebody one quality of what we are to the naked eye; it is the connotations that we’ve associated with each label that are skewing their meaning. The labels themselves say nothing about our character, nothing about the depth we have as individuals, and yet we allow their use and how we interpret them to hinder the way we view ourselves in our entirety. Young women need to be taught the difference between the label ‘fat’ and ‘having fat’ – something that the human body cannot survive without. We should be educating women that the number on the scales takes into account the blood in your veins, the weight of the organs keeping you alive, the cells that created the body you live in, the bones and muscles that allow you to walk, run, dance and move and the water that hydrates the skin you should feel comfortable in; the kilograms in the reading are not just ‘fat’. If we learnt these connotations rather than the negative ones usually associated with the label, perhaps ‘fat’ would lose its power in encouraging us to self-loathe. If we can accept that no two women desire the exact same lives, careers, partners, friends, adventures or possessions, then why can’t we embrace that they do not desire to look exactly the same either? We have spent years trying to empower women, trying to encourage them to see themselves as equals. We’ve told women to believe in their ambitions and to fight for what they want. Now it seems we are reversing our hard work by disempowering them with not the labels, but the house of negative associations we’ve built and continue to build around each one. Now every label that doesn’t have the connotation of ‘perfection’ is subliminally saying ‘you aren’t good enough’, ‘your size is holding you back’, ‘you should be ashamed if this label applies to you’, ‘your weight overshadows anything you achieve’ – where is the sense in that? We’re creating a generation of women who are never content with who they are, women who feel they are constantly required to better themselves aesthetically. As Remi Ray stated in her interview, ‘It’s not the vocabulary that’s standing in our way, it’s how the plus-sized community is perceived by the public (and more importantly, by its own members).’ So I stand to call an end to giving this issue anymore airtime, for the sake of the women suffering at the hands of these apparent ‘meanings’ that are encoded in every label, ready to dictate to them on some level that they are inadequate. For the sake of the pre-teens who’ve yet to discover the scale of this war on size we’re currently in and for every person who has fallen victim to the bullies in school corridors or work places, on the streets or in the club, who believe it is their place to tell you why you’re one thing and not another. What I find saddening is that we’re the ones falling victim to this process of comparison, we’re the ones inferring what each label means, therefore we are effectively the only people responsible for the power each label now has. ‘Curvy’ only means you have curves in the outline of your body, it doesn’t mean ‘a polite way of saying you’re overweight’ the same way that ‘athletic’ doesn’t mean ‘lacking femininity’ and ‘plus-size’ doesn’t mean ‘fat and disgusting’. Pity those who cannot embrace the beauty of difference and think of the misery they will endure for as long as they are fixated with conforming to one standard of beauty. If I can leave you with any thought at all it would be this: ‘If tomorrow, women woke up and decided they really liked their bodies, just think how many industries would go out of business.’ – Dr. Gail Dines.
TWEET US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAR ON SIZE USING #RRTALKBACK FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £200 TO SPEND INSTORE AT SELFRIDGES. Page | 28
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FIRST DATES THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY We asked you to share your dating disasters and this is what you had to say...
He spent most of our walk to the cinema boasting about how he had just got this amazing bonus at work and that the date was his treat. You can imagine my surprise when his card got declined at the cinema kiosk, causing him to throw the card machine at the innocent server exclaiming 'I demand you try it again'. Eventually, after three attempts the card worked but as we walked past a very long and frustrated queue of people he started exclaiming 'what you looking at?' Needless to say, his anger issues didn't exactly woo me. - Kate 23
*Justin was a very quiet type and I'd fancied him for months so when he finally asked me out at the office party I was over the moon. However, on our first date he asked the waiter to move us from a window seat to the back of the restaurant, claiming he wanted it to be more romantic. Mid conversation he called me Alice not once but 5 times (my name is Amy) He kept checking his watch and after rushing through every course, he left ÂŁ70 on the table and left. Confused why he'd rushed our date, I concluded that perhaps he had decided he didn't fancy me. I later found out via a Facebook message from a very angry woman named Alice who demanded to know who I was, that he was engaged.. to Alice and that our date had apparently been 'Drinks with the lads' but when his buddies failed to confirm he'd been with them she'd searched his phone and found our messages. What a pig. - Amy 31
I was a friend of *Alex's sister and had always thought he was fit so when his sister played matchmaker and hooked me up with a date, I was ecstatic. He was very polite but it was quite clear it was purely platonic from the word go. However, nothing prepared me for his revelation that he was actually gay and had only agreed to come on a date with me to keep his sister happy. He revealed that none of his family or friends knew and that I was the first person he'd told. Eventually, I convinced him to come out to his loved ones, I was a bridesmaid at his wedding this year. - Mandy 30
After a lovely meal at an Indian restaurant me and my date decided to head to a nearby bar for a few drinks. However as I moved on to my third Mojito a sudden urge to go to the loo came over me and I was forced to excuse myself. After 20 explosive minutes I managed to prise my buttocks from the toilet seat. Let's just say, I didn't get a second date and I haven't eaten a Vindaloo since. - Lu 20
He invited me to see him and his band perform on stage with the view of going for drinks after. However as I stood in the crowd watching, a girl jumped on stage and snogged his face off. He responded by dedicating their next song 'Hottest girl in the room' to her. Most people would have left and never looked back, but I decided to befriend the barman. After a few more tequila shots I got with him, just as my "date" was coming off-stage. Revenge is sweet. Hannah 21
We'd talked for months on an online dating site before we eventually met up. During our date he revealed he'd just got divorced, that his athletes foot was the worst it had ever been and that he liked his women a bit chubby, so I was perfect. He then got emotional when a Lionel Ritchie song came on (probably a song from his wedding) and after only an hour of knowing me confirmed 'I can't wait for you to meet the family, Mum is going to love you - I've shown her all of your pictures!' It was a car crash in slow motion, I got absolutely smashed, left, picked up a pizza, went home and watched X factor. - Lisa 29
NEXT MONTHS #CC IS LIES YOU'VE TOLD YOUR PARENTS. We pay ÂŁ50 for each confession we feature so get the conversation started with the hashtag #R&Rconfessionscorner Page | 30
THIS MONTHS FINAL THOUGHT COMES IN THE FORM OF A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE QUOTE;
Go be beautiful and we will see you in June ♥
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Jennifer Lawrence
@R&RMagazineUK
@R&RMagazineUK
@R&RMagazineUK Page | 32
This magazine was produced by an Undergraduate University Student for the purpose of a University Module entitled 'Writing in the Media'. The content within this magazine does not have any commercial purpose or function and is not intended for any use, financial gain or distribution outside of the educational purpose it serves to fulfil. The author apologises if any of the included content offends any persons or breaches any specifications as laid out by original producers. The included Talkback article is a piece previously published on 'The definite article' a student run blog for which editor Jade-Louise Cook is also a writer.
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