Natural selection

Hopespringseternal

inflammation of the bladder and kidneys is considered a result of sluggish lymphatic system making Cleavers an ideal herb for the urinary system. It was traditionally decocted in cold water to preserve its virtues. You can add 5g of freshly chopped Cleavers herb to a clean jar, cover in fresh filtered cold water and leave for 8 – 12 hours. Strain and sweeten with honey to taste.

MEDICINAL

We cannot leave behind one of the most undervalued plants with an unfair reputation as a pesky weed; the humble dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis). Dandelion has an old reputation as a spring tonic and blood purifier. It is a very bitter herb, hence its use in liver and gallbladder complaints. If you snap off the stem just a taste of the white latex on the end tells you how bitter it really is! Less known are its potent anti-viral effects. In 1933, Dr Swinburne Clymer wrote, “Dandelion is the ideal spring cleanser, spring bitters, and spring tonic. Its mineral contents are more evenly balanced for this purpose than any ‘medicine’ any chemist could invent. Perhaps, it is needless to say, it is a desirable and efficient food at any other time of the year.” A few of the bitter leaves can be added to a salad or juiced with apple, celery and ginger.

So next time you wander along the hedgerows, know that right at your feet is a medicinal apothecary.

Naomi Murray is a herbalist from Botanica Health in Rusthall. This month the champion and expert of natural remedies looks at how a variety of seasonal hedgerow herbs can aid our well-being

The season of spring is so wonderful. It comforts and demonstrates to us year in and year out that we can have faith that some things never change.

The once naked trees come to life, tiny buds appear, shoots poke through the cold earth and we know that summer will follow spring, and winter autumn and so this grand show is eternal.

There is a sense of renewal and new things in store, a feeling of anticipation, warmer days and lighter nights. The right herbs seem to arrive at just the right time.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a spring time plant that can be confused with mint but on rubbing the leaves an aromatic lemon fragrance is released. It is a really worthwhile plant to grow in the garden and especially useful after a difficult year.

Traditionally it is used to calm the nerves and reduce feelings of panic

Naomi Murray

and anxiety. As with all herbs, Lemon balm is multi-modal and is indicated as an antiviral, anti-spasmodic and sedative. To soothe frayed nerves simply place a small handful of the leaves into a teapot, add boiling water and brew for 10 minutes before consuming.

You could add honey and also have as a bedtime drink. We see this time of year as an opportunity to cast off the winter; the heavy foods and hibernation-style behaviour. There is a desire to cleanse and freshen up.

Everywhere the Cleavers (Gallium aperine) can be seen in hedgerows. As children we called it ‘sticky willy’ and I still haven’t quite got over the thrill of throwing it on the unsuspecting back of the person sharing my stroll. Cleavers is primarily used as a blood purifier and for lymphatic congestion. We have long used it in the practice when a person complains of swollen lymph nodes, tonsillitis, glandular fever and congested skin.

In traditional herbal medicine, PAUSE FOR THOUGHT: “Forgive me if I never visit. I am from the fields, you know, and while quite at home with the dandelions, make a sorry figure in a drawing room.” Emily Dickinson

From Peaky Blinders suits to 21st century experimentation, trends have been constantly changing

Normally, womenswear gets all the attention – but that doesn’t mean we should forget about menswear altogether. In fact, the humble suit is one of the hardest working outfits in fashion, and has seen countless reincarnations over the years. The invention of the modern suit is often credited to Beau Brummell, a trendsetting dandy from the early 1800s. He encouraged high society to do away with the flouncy frock coats and powdered wigs of the 18th century, in favour of more streamlined, simple tailoring – similar to the style we know today, albeit with tails, riding boots and a cravat. Since then, the suit has taken a life of its own. Wearing a fully tailored look might not be an everyday occurrence for lots of us, but it’s still experiencing new and different trends. Most men ditched long jackets by the early 1900s, and this is how the suit progressed from there…

PEAKY BLINDERS…

You might recognise the heavy suits of the early 1900s from popular TV show Peaky Blinders. Tommy Shelby and his brothers wear styles typical of the time: three-piece suits in heavy, workmanlike materials.

These were fairly utilitarian outfits, with slim-fitting jackets in muted tones, like black, navy or dark brown.

1940S MINIMALISM…

Inevitably, this shifted when WWII hit. Wool was in short supply, so suit manufacturers started experimenting with synthetic blends. Styles became more pared back; colours were dark, and patterns were subtle herringbones or pinstripes. Even though suits were tailored, trousers were nothing like the slim fits we’re used to today. Instead, pants were relatively loose, with a sharply ironed crease down the front.

MAD MEN…

After the mainstream minimalism of the 1940s, the Fifties and Sixties saw suits gain a bit more style. This was the era of Don Draper and Mad Men, where many men had to wear a suit to work every day. Styles were clean-cut and well-tailored, paired with slim ties and the occasional waistcoat. There were more opportunities to play around with patterns and colours, from pastels to a bright houndstooth.

OVERSIZED STYLES…

After the excess of the Seventies, suiting saw a bit of a downturn. Other than the occasional pastel suit with rolled up sleeves in the Eighties, the 1980s and 1990s saw much more low-key styles: colours became muted and muddy, and tailoring went out the window. During this time, suits were often oversized and looked almost misshapen. This wasn’t exactly the coolest time for men’s fashion, particularly as looks were paired with wide, funkily patterned ties.

THE ROARING TWENTIES…

While the working classes stuck to Peaky Blinders-style suits throughout the 1920s, it was a different story for those with money.

This was a time of excess – think of The Great Gatsby – so drab suits just wouldn’t do. Men increasingly wore tuxedos with white waistcoats for parties, or sharply-tailored suits in softer, more expensive materials during the day. In this interwar period, fashion was a way of showing off how much money you had.

ZOOT SUITS…

Fashion trends are rarely neatly chronological. While the 1940s saw a more minimalist take on tailoring, it also saw the continued rise of zoot suits. Everything about this style was exaggerated: trouser legs ballooned out and were pegged at the bottom, lapels were wide and shoulders were padded up high. The look was often topped off with a large pork pie hat and shiny dress shoes.

Starting in Harlem in the 1930s, the trend was popular among the African American and Latinx communities, and became a hot button issue in the 1940s. As zoot suits required a lot of material to make, they were condemned by the mainstream as unpatriotic during wartime shortages.

The style became illegal in some areas of the US, and riots took place in 1943, where soldiers and sailors targeted Mexican-Americans in LA wearing zoot suits. They became a symbol of protest or rebellion, with historian Kathy Peiss saying: “For those without other forms of cultural capital, fashion can be a way of claiming space for yourself.”

SEVENTIES DISCO…

Things changed once again in the Seventies, where vibrancy was the name of the game. Colours were bright and wild, lapels were huge, waists were high, legs were flared – think of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

Suits saw experimentation like never before, with patterns, colours and ruffles taking over.

THE SUIT TODAY…

Luckily, men have become reacquainted with their tailor and you’re unlikely to see a baggy, ill-fitting suit on the red carpet. By the Noughties, suits became simpler, chicer and more streamlined. In recent years, men have started injecting their own personality into tailoring. Think of Michael B Jordan wearing a Louis Vuitton harness on the red carpet, Timothee Chalamet in a statement patterned blazer and matching shirt, Chadwick Boseman in a pale pink suit or Andrew Scott wearing red velvet. Particularly as fashion becomes more gender fluid, the options for new suit styles seem vaster than ever. Tailoring might feel worlds away from the relaxed pandemic fashion many of us have become used to, but who knows? Maybe the pendulum will swing the other way as we return back to normal, and suits will be back with a vengeance.

Skin deep

This month Eileen Leahy discovers a ground-breaking luxury beauty range as well as a perfect scent for brides-to-be who are finally able to get married

The crème de la crème of creams… In a somewhat saturated luxury skincare market we’ve discovered a premium brand that really merits its price tag and hype. The Augustinus Bader range is named after the German scientist who created it and boasts a relatively small but highly effective line of key skincare products which deliver very impressive results.

For thirty years Professor Bader has researched and developed technologies which prompt the human body’s ability to firstly heal, then stimulate cells that have become dormant due to either trauma or ageing.

As well as looking the part of a luxury skincare brand with its smart royal blue and rose gold slick packaging, the range, which compromises products - devoid of fancy names - such The Rich Cream, The Face Oil and The Cleansing Gel, really does deliver solid results.

Its secret weapon is TFC8 – or Trigger Factor Complex – a patented technology which helps skin to start repairing itself naturally. Professor Bader, an expert in stem cell biology has spent the best part of three decades developing this and in 2008 launched a revolutionary wound gel which effectively repaired skin that had been scarred or badly damaged – without the need for surgery. The TFC8 used in the gel formed the basis of Professor Bader’s first beauty product launch three years ago.

TECHNOLOGY In 2018 moisturisers The Rich Cream and The Cream entered the crowded luxury skincare arena and immediately caused a stir thanks to their efficacy and immediate positive, long lasting results. The Rich Cream boasts Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E and Squalane, a plant derived balm which deeply hydrates. Skin looks healthier, firmer and more radiant. The Cream is a lighter moisturiser for everyday use and is brimming with Vitamins A, C and B5 which when combined help to stimulate collagen production, reduce fine lines and locks in moisture.

In addition to the first two Augustinus Bader products launched, the collection now comprises an array of effective cleansing products, a rich body cream, face oil, hand cream and lip balm, all of which contain the special TFC8 technology as well as a host of hydrating ingredients to nourish your skin. The range is 100% vegan with 70% of the packaging plastic free.

The Augustinus Bader skincare range has won multiple awards and counts the likes of Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bobbi Brown and model Alexa Chung as fans and is sold in SpaceNK Tunbridge Wells as well as John Lewis and online at www.augustinusbader.com WHAT IS TFC8? TFC8 stands for The Trigger Factor. It is a specific technology created by the biomedical scientist and physician Augustinus Bader. It helps to heal and regenerate skin and is composed of natural amino acids, highgrade vitamins and synthesised molecules that are naturally found in the skin. TFC8 nourishes and protects the skin by supporting its potential for renewal.

MAKING SCENTS OF MARRIAGE

If you’re a bride-to-be then you’ll be busy sourcing your dream dress and thinking about how your hair and make-up will look for the big day. But don’t forget to invest in a fragrance. The reason? Because it is the finishing touch to any outfit - but especially on one of the biggest days of your life. And post wedding, just one spritz will bring all those marital memories flooding back. Premium perfumer Miller Harris know this only too well, stating that their selection of nuanced and exquisite scents will make your special day truly unforgettable.

“A wedding fragrance is like having an olfactory snapshot of your special day,” says a Miller Harris spokesperson. “In fact, scent has the strongest link to memory, so few things will recall your wedding more effectively.”

Miller Harris has a number of exquisite scents that will perfectly complement your look but we’re big fans of Secret Gardenia (£115 100ml. It opens up with crisp citrus notes with a rich floral heart of jasmine and ylang ylang then unfurling to add romance and staying power. What could be more perfect for your wedding day?

Miller Harris is available from Fenwick and Hoopers stores in Tunbridge Wells