Carolyn Bessette Kennedy has become a fashion icon to a whole new generation of young women, almost three decades after her untimely death, aged 33, thanks to the new hit drama Love Story. This is a limited 2026 TV series streaming on Disney +, dramatising the romance and tragic deaths of John F Kennedy Jr and the beautiful Carolyn Bessette.
New Series ‘LOVE STORY’ about the romance & deaths of Carolyn Bessette and JFK Jr 0n Disney +
Now, fans (like me) can recreate her effortlessly chic and minimalist style from none other than M&S.
While Carolyn loved Prada clothes, carried a Birkin and worked as a publicist for Calvin Klein, those with more modest budgets can emulate her ‘quiet luxury’ wardrobe with a £26 white shirt and a £20 black tote bag from the high street giant.
M&S has launched a new ’90s edit’, where ‘pared-back polish meets understated cool’. While it makes no reference to Caroline Bessette-Kennedy Ryan Murphy’s show Love Story, there’s a heavy hint as to who inspired it
Branded the ’90s Edit’, the capsule collection is marketed as a ‘nostalgic and wearable’ collection that signals a ‘renewed appreciation for the enduring appeal of 90s style’.
Campaign shots featuring a willowy blonde model appear to replicate some of the most famous snatched photos of Carolyn strolling through the streets of New York in her signature camel coat, loafers and a black headband.
The Real Carolyn with JFK Jr.
She’s accompanied in some images by a male model, holding her hand or pushing a bike – perhaps a nod to ‘America’s Prince’, John F Kennedy Jr , the other half of New York’s ultimate “It” couple of the 1990s.
Standout pieces include a Pure Cotton Girlfriend Shirt. Carolyn famously elevated a white shirt into evening wear when she paired it with a floor-skimming tiered skirt for a black-tie gala at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
The high street hero has also recreated Carolyn’s denim collection including a kick flare, cropped style, as well as bootcut jeans that retail for £38 and £26 respectively.
Carolyn’s fondness for classic outerwear is well-documented, and M&S’s new collection comes equipped with a lightweight, camel-coloured car coat for £70 – currently the brand’s number one bestseller.
Finally, there’s a spin on some of Carolyn’s favourite accessories – including cat eye sunglasses and headbands – to round off the collection.
Carolyn’s Famous Black Birkin Bag
Sarah Pidgeon’s portrayal of Carolyn has sparked a wave of copycat looks across the high street, with Uniqlo and Massimo Dutti also promoting their own edits.
Carolyn’s glittering life came to an end in July 1999, in a plane crash that also killed her husband JFK Jr and her sister Lauren.
How much do I love Zara? SO much. It’s hard not to want everything on their website, as it’s all cut so beautifully with plenty of fresh feels, bold details and directional cuts.
I generally steer away from too much pattern, but polka dots are a classic having a moment right now, and you could style this balloon skort with a crisp white shirt or a tee and black blazer to give it a sophisticated spin. The same with these wide leg trousers, which balanced with a knitted tank or turtleneck, bring just the right amount of Spring Season energy.
As the sun becomes stronger, I suggest buying a cheaper pair of sunglasses in a new style before you invest in the designer version – these aviator shields are the pair that caught my eye for the season ahead. Here’s my pick of the best wardrobe essentials from the Zara 2026 Spring drop.
Mango is a treasure trove of new season style buys. Maybe it’s true that European fashion companies do it better – there’s always a freshness and a big nod to a trend, but the clothes also have a sense of longevity and sophistication. The colour palette has a lot to do with this too. For me, style is about looking effortless and pared-back, but you can still achieve this with trend-led pieces, so long as you don’t go crazy with colour (the same is true if you opt for classic shapes but buy them in bolder colours).
Highlights here are the polkadot barrel jeans (I love that they’re cocoa brown, which feels unexpected and softer than black), and also the striped peplum asymmetric top, which is gloriously bold but also quite classic. I’d pair it with black trousers and heels for the evening, but also with little shorts and flat sandals in the summer (and it goes without saying, it’s perfect with jeans).
Balloon and harem-shaped trousers are the shape of the season, with a couple of options on show here that will update your wardrobe, meanwhile acting as useful basics: a spring knit and a neutral, wear-with-everything denim jacket.
Is your hair ageing too fast? As we get older, we run into all kinds of hazards on our hair journey, from dryness and dullness to thinning and breakage. So, how do you squeeze the brakes when you feel you’re losing control?
There are, of course, plenty of treatments, products and tools out there to rejuvenate ageing hair, but when you’re trying to get back on the right path, experts say it’s actually small, daily changes that really add up and it’s the right habits that stack up to slow-age your hair.
When you visit a personal trainer and tell them that you want to get leaner, faster, stronger, they supply a programme of different little exercises for you to implement daily. It’s the same process with hair.
Get ahead of hair loss
We tend to notice hair loss only once we’ve lost quite a bit. For most of us, some degree of thinning is inevitable as we age – cells don’t regenerate as quickly, we don’t absorb vitamins as well and our sleep patterns change, giving our bodies less chance to repair overnight.’
One solution is ‘prejuvenation’ to help get ahead of hair loss. Use a thickening shampoo and conditioner with every wash (look out for ingredients such as caffeine and niacinamide), apply growth-stimulating scalp serum (Nioxin’s Hair Fall Defence Serum is my favourite), and make sure your vitamin D levels are optimal.
It’s about covering your bases – it’s far easier to maintain what you already have than to bring back density once it’s gone.
Act fast with a personalised plan – use MINOXIDIL
If you’re seeing female pattern hair loss, act quickly. It’s progressive, and you want to use something from the get-go that has the greatest likelihood of working. For age-related hair diameter changes, Minoxidil tends to be the most effective treatment.
It is a tablet medication originally used in higher doses to treat high blood pressure. In smaller doses, swallowed orally, it has been found to increase age blood flow to the hair roots. This then enables hairs to grow for longer and new hair starts to grow more quickly.
It’s available over the counter but I advise going to a clinic for professional advice: You can be tested for nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances that can be impacting growth, giving any treatment the best chance of working.
An affordable way to get minoxidil plus professional advice is via Hair+Me, a derm-led online service offering personalised prescription treatments for hair loss. It begins with an online consultation to assess your suitability, followed by a personalised monthly prescription (£34.99, including unlimited free expert support).
Use oil for healthy hydration
Dry hair equals dull hair, and it’s a very common issue as we get older, says Anabel. ‘Left untreated, dryness makes hair more prone to damage.’
If hair is dry, you need to nourish and hydrate it with oil, she advises. ‘It adds shine and replaces the fatty acid layer that protects the hair cuticle (which can be damaged by colouring and other chemical processes) and can help growth by making hair more resistant to breakage.
The type of oil is key. Pumpkin seed is my top choice for hair growth – and coconut oil for stronger, shinier hair. Warm the oil before you apply it and then wrap your hair. Four to six hours is long enough. Don’t leave it on overnight as it can clog pores and cause inflammation.
Invest in effective treatments
Midlife is the moment to prioritise both moisture and strength. Use a rich conditioning mask with emollients and bond-supporting ingredients. A weekly strengthening treatment helps fragile strands bend rather than snap.’
Double up on heat protection
Heat protection is vital for reducing avoidable hair ageing. It acts as a barrier, reducing the amount of moisture lost from inside the hair shaft and helping to shield the delicate cuticle layer from direct heat.
For maximum protection, he advises doubling your defences. Start with a heat protection spray, applied to damp hair after washing. This offers protection as you blow-dry and style. After blow-drying, use an instant-dry heat protection aerosol for an additional layer of protection before using irons or tongs. Think of it as building a base layer of defence, then reinforcing it later.
Try blowdrying with Fudge Tri-Blo Heat Protecting Blow Dry Spray, then add Living Proof Flex Hairspray as extra defence before using irons.
While not a magic bullet for hair loss, scalp massage is proven to stimulate growth. We know from studies that a scalp massage of 10 to 20 minutes a day can be beneficial in helping to increase hair density and the speed of hair growth. You need to really move the skin and scalp with your fingers as you do it,’ she says.
Silk Pillowcases & Air Dryers
Heat styling and chemicals are your obvious hair enemies, but don’t overlook a common, more easily avoided culprit: mechanical damage. That’s daily wear and tear: brushing the hair harshly, getting it caught on your handbag strap and tight ponytails or braids. Even how you sleep can have an impact. If you’re waking up with tangles, that friction on your pillow is probably causing mechanical damage
A silk pillowcase is a great overnight fix.
Leaving hair to dry naturally isn’t the kinder alternative we often assume.
The ideal post-wash protocol is to remove as much water as quickly as possible by wrapping hair in a towel for 15 minutes before turning to a dryer that relies on power over heat to get the job done. For me, that’s the Dyson; it dries faster with less damage,’ she says. The Supersonic Nural has a sensor that automatically lowers the heat when it’s closer to your head.
Wash more often
A clean scalp equals a healthy scalp, so daily shampooing, if not outweighed by daily heat styling, is one of the first things you can do to improve your hair and scalp health.
Eat your way to better hair
People under 65 are recommended to eat 0.75-0.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day, while those over 65 should get 1-1.2g per kg per day. This is partly to counter the natural decline in muscle that comes with age, and partly because our body also gets less efficient at absorbing the amino acids in protein. So, in terms of our hair, we need more, not less, protein to support healthy growth.
Iron is also key: It’s essential for producing haemoglobin, which carries oxygen to cells, including those in hair follicles that promote growth
Eat at least a palm-sized portion of any protein (like fish, chicken, lean meat, eggs, quinoa, nuts or pulses) together with a portion of complex carbohydrates (such as wholewheat toast, skin-on potatoes, oats, barley, brown rice or pasta).’
Welcome BACK to Amanda Zips It Up. These are the SUMMER 2026 editions.
After taking some weeks off over Christmas, New Year and the darkest winter period, Spring is here and the blog is back – monthly for 2026.
I’m switching things up for 2026 and taking AZIU over to the Balearics. As regular readers will be aware, I split my time between Spain and London, so I’m excited to be publishing and broadcasting the blog monthly and on WAVE FM in the Balearics with the awesome presenter Jo Clayton Walsh.
Catch me on The Jo Show every month with Jo Walsh
Going monthly means I have more time to explore and report on what’s going on with your Summer ’26 wardrobe and lifestyle hacks. I’ll bring you all the hottest looks and wellness trends happening right now.
Enjoy.
So, grab your Chai, relax and check out this month’s first Spring edition, featuring Kate Moss bringing BOHO back, Adidas shifting from sportswear to high fashion, Colleen Rooney’s clothing line plus what happens when you take multi-vitamins every day…
Just when it seemed like every spring/summer’s BOHO trend was dead and buried, Kate Moss went back to her Boho roots in an ETSY Dress that will have us all refreshing our Spring wardrobes.
Black boho boots are back…
When you think of fashion’s glory days, who springs to mind? None other than Kate Moss in the nineties and noughties. I’m talking in full boho glory: battered waistcoats, rattan bags and printed flowing midi dresses, in other words the styles that we saw countless girlies rocking at Glastonbury each summer.
Crowning glory was Kate Moss’s 2007 Topshop collection (which I bought most of) generating mayhem outside its Oxford Street store – and decimated rails – giving you the reason why Mossy is the lifelong Queen of Boho.
The black Rayban Wayfarers are back
In recent years, commentators started to write Boho’s obituary. But Moss’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week signalled a turnaround. Kate stepped out wearing an outfit pulled from her boho heyday, namely this dress sold on Etsy – yes, you got that right. She styled it with a pair of heeled lace-up ankle boots and brought back her iconic Rayban Wayfarers too.
Kate’s exact style is unfortunately out of stock, but FYI it’s the 1970s Mayur Ultra Soft Tiered Dress from Etsy, and it features a blousy bodice, flowy sleeves and an adjustable waist, which looks like Kate tightened it around the middle. Perhaps the most interesting element of all is the styling – because this is where Kate reminds everyone why she remains the blueprint. Who would put solid black accessories with this pretty piece? Only a true style leader.
And, if her latest look has you craving spring days demanding your breeziest dresses only, here is a similar design available on the high street from Nobody’s Child. Price: £48 (was £120) – just don’t forget to go blue.
This Nobody’s Child style is selling out, for good reason. It looks almost identical to the one Kate Kate was spotted in, and it features a V-neck and tie neckline.
This ensemble started trending towards the end of 2025 but it’s THE look for Spring 2026.
Most of us do own – or have owned – a pair of Adidas trackies at some point in our lives. Maybe you slouch around the house in them, wear them to the airport or genuinely use them as the sportswear they were designed to be.
It’s all about Adidas Original, Superstar & Firecracker Track Pants
Adidas have become increasingly fashion focused of late. As witnessed by their Fashion Week catwalk shows, they have become a firm fashion favourite for designers like Gucci (who collaborated with Adidas), influencers and A-Listers. And us, of course.
Combine with a statement coat or blazer
For this season, you need to accumulate as many colours as your wardrobe budget permits. Go for the Superstars or Original ranges. They must have the zipped ankles. And wear them a size up so that they rock a baggy fit.
Add an iconic handbag
Pair with a statement blazer or jacket – preferably black or leopard print, little white vest or ‘boob tube’, huge sunglasses (black if possible), plus an iconic handbag – one which completely stands out from the outfit.
Pair with a simple top – emphasise the trackies
In the UK, ASOS has a brilliant collection, and in Mallorca Fan Shopping Mall has an Adidas store to die for.
Start with Red or Green to be seenDon’t forget the sunniesWear Heels to perfect the lookOpen the zip splits at the ankles
They range from £60 (€80). Start your collection with the ultimate RED, then go for GREEN and work your pallet up from there. I’m on my 5th pair now.
Looking gorgeous in this brown & black satin and lace slip dress
With careful planning, being a WAG can mean that once your man hangs up his football boots, you become a fashion designer. Of course, there’s no topping Victoria Beckham, but equally Abbey Clancey created a range for F&F at Tesco and now Coleen Rooney has launched her new Primark collection, after signing a multi-million pound deal with the high street giant.
“By Coleen” combines Coleen’s signature style and Primark’s offer of great fashion at affordable prices.
Bermuda Shorts are ideal for transitioning Winter into Spring
The new collection features clean silhouettes, soft-touch fabrics and calm, wearable colour palettes, with thoughtful details designed to make getting dressed feel even simpler. Expect tailored Bermuda shorts, blazers and accessories.
Fans have been gushing about the collection, with one writing on Instagram: ‘Quality is amazing’, and there are some stylish items you can get for as little as £8, having browsed the collection.
Perfect two-piece for Spring
My favourite piece is the By ColeenDraped Tie Waist Mac for just £34, which is perfect for Spring. The stylish light green coat is made from 90% Viscose and 10% Polyester and features a draped lapel collar, a tie-waist, functional pockets and button details for a classic finish.
My favourite piece – The Trench Mac
Everything in the collection comes in a range of UK sizes, from UK 6 to UK 20.
Get down to your local Primark before it sells out.
I’ve always been a bit sceptical about taking daily multi vitamins, mostly because so many people say they make zero difference, and literally go straight through you. Plus, I simply forget to take them most days.
Daily multivitamins could extend your life
But there seems to be new evidence. This month’s issue of Hello Fashion suggests that taking a multivitamin daily could help slow biological ageing.
Researchers say that taking a multivitamin every day for two years appears to slow some markers of biological ageing – albeit to a small degree. Whilst “chronological age” is based on how long a person has lived, “biological age” reflects the state of the body. One theory is that by slowing the rate of biological ageing, it may be possible to prevent or postpone age-related illness, resulting in more years of good health.
I’m loving these high potency multivitamins by Life Extension on Amazon
The researchers took blood samples from participants at the start of the trial and also after one and two years. After taking into account participants’ age, sex, and baseline measures, the researchers found that, compared with those given a placebo, participants who took a daily multivitamin showed a slowdown in biological ageing. Overall, the researchers observed that the slowdown equated to about four months less biological ageing over two years.
However, taking daily multivitamins will be pointless if you don’t have a healthy lifestyle. My personal advice is to eat a healthy, varied diet rich in fruit and vegetables [the main natural source of vitamins and minerals], and only spend your money on nutritional supplements if you’ve got these basics right first.
On another note, let’s talk skin.
As K-beauty products go, Korean face masks remain amongst the most consistently impressive categories. From traditional sheet masks and hydro-gels that claim to rejuvenate the skin overnight, to collagen-infused peel-off masks that have become synonymous with “glass skin”, Korean face masks’ appeal shows no sign of slowing. I’m loving them.
The Night Mask Jelly – which you brush onSalmon sperm is so good for the skin
What makes Korean face masks so innovative?
Korean face masks are considered some of the most innovative in beauty thanks to their advanced textures, high-performing ingredients and clinic-inspired formulas. Brands constantly experiment with interesting materials, like hydrogel, bio-cellulose and jelly sheets that hug the skin and deliver actives – think hyaluronic acid, peptides and fermented matter.
Wear your mask for three hoursBrush the night mask onPeel off in the morning
The formulas are potent yet gentle, balancing strong ingredients with barrier-boosters like ceramides and panthenol, which is why even sensitive skin tends to tolerate them well. These Masks by MEDICUBE hydrate, soothe and brighten in a single step, giving that instant “glass-skin” payoff K-beauty is known for. I’m under strict instructions from my daughter to wear them for at least 3 hours a few times a week.
It’s party season and I have the most beautiful capes for the festive season. All designed by Nicole Ivison Hatch and Left Bank Six.
Perfectly designed for dressing over a simple slip dress or jumpsuit. These capes are exceptional showcases literally guranteed to stand out at any party, club or restaurant.
The design of the planetary and red star caps blow me away but the pearl embellished long line cape and the gold snake wrapping around your shoulders is simply divine.
