The Proud Boys are American far-right tattooed neo-fascists, frequently identified by their love of Fred Perry polos, “Make America Great Again” hats, and ‘unapologetic Western chauvinism’

Fred Perry‘s classic laurel wreath polo shirt is instantly recognizable—a staple of men’s wardrobes since the brand debuted in 1952. Though Fred Perry attire was regularly sported by the likes of JFK, the brand also has a history of being hi-jacked by darker forces, particularly a sect of skinheads who aligned themselves with far-right extremist group the British National Front in the 1970s. 

Since then, Fred Perry has worked hard to escape this negative connection by recruiting global brand ambassadors, such as tennis star Andy Murray and the late great singer Amy Winehouse. In the era of Trump, a bolstered far-right movement, a new chauvinistic group called the Proud Boys—a fraternity of white guys whose mantra includes violence against peaceful protestors—has adopted the Fred Perry polo (in black) as a part of its unofficial uniform, much to the chagrin of Fred Perry.

In a statement, Fred Perry chairman John Flynn said: “Frankly I could send you a press release, but no need. A little investigation into Fred the man and Fred Perry the company would reveal a lot”.

“Fred was born the son of a socialist MP [and] became world tennis champion at the time when tennis was an elitist sport. He started a business with a Jewish businessman from eastern Europe. The brand was adopted by the mod movement and systematically has been associated with a diverse group of subcultures from reggae to punk to Brit pop. So, the Proud Boys are counter to our beliefs and the people we work with.”

It is a shame that the Proud Boys, who claim to be accepting of black and gay people, but whose very existence is based on violence and pride in white males’ contribution to Western society, would try to steal something as cool, classic and timeless as a Fred Perry polo.

Earlier this year, neo-Nazis tried to co-opt New Balance sneakers after the brand’s soft endorsement of President Trump. Thankfully, it didn’t stick. So when it comes to Fred Perry polos, let’s not allow the Proud Boys to take ownership. 

If you’re a decent, non-racist, non-chauvinist guy, wear your Fred Perry polo with pride.

A night bra that fights wrinkles has been launched.

It’s a problem all women face as they get older – wanting a tan but having to deal with the wrinkles it causes to our skin. This especially visible on our chests, made worse by sleeping on our sides at night.

Now a bra has been specifically designed to be worn at night, to keep breasts lifted and separated whilst the wearer sleeps.

Called La Decollette, the bra’s inventor, Rachel de Boer, comments that for years she secretly slept in an old bra to which she had sewn stuffed socks that nestled between her breasts, keeping them apart so vertical lines did not develop.

“It started out as my secret, I didn’t want to talk about my wrinkles or the first bra I made, which was ugly. I slept like that for seven years and then I turned 40, told my friends and they admitted they shared the same problem.”

When her friends asked for help, De Boer made five more versions of her night bra. Her friends were so enthusiastic about the results, they encouraged her to quit her day job and commercially produce an anti-wrinkle night bra.

The La Decollette has been a hit in Europe and is now on sale at Selfridges for £45. I bought mine on Amazon. It consists of a soft, padded, rectangular piece of fabric that covers the decolletage from the neckline to the top of the rib cage, sitting between the breasts to keep them lifted and separated.

The cupless bra prevents the breasts pressing together while the wearer sleeps, which Ms De Boer suggests is the probable cause of vertical wrinkles on women’s.

Marilyn Monroe is believed to have maintained her curvaceous 36D figure in the same way. Some endorsement..

Ariana Grande wore a sexy LBD with buckled fastenings when she returned to Manchester on Sunday.

Her outfit was a hit with the crowd at the Pride event, which marked her second visit to the city since the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.

But it’s not just the 26-year-old singer who has “strapped in” for the summer, Kim Kardashian has been seen out wearing buckles as well.

Featuring strapping and cut-outs, the style is not for the faint-hearted — and the high street is not buckling under pressure to follow suit.

This bold trend could be a little belter. Here’s the best of the rest.

• Beige bodysuit, £19 Topshop 
• Black buckle skirt, £12, Pretty little thing 
• Bronze heels, £25, Schuh 
• Earrings, £4.80 (sale), Boohoo 

The bralette is worn out, but be brave, it’s all part of the look.

• Black bralette, £59, House of CB
• Pink shorts, £15.99 
• Earrings, £5.99 New Look

This colour is fun and summery and the buckles complete the look.  It’s very Kim Kardashian.

• Pink dress, £30, Boohoo 
• Orange heels, £38, River Island 
• Earrings, £3.99, New Look 

The jeans should fit really well. No baggies or muffin tops.

• Blue silk top, £16 River Island 
• Blue jeans, £35, Boohoo 
• Red patent heels, £45, Head Over Heels by Dune 
• Hoop earrings, £10, River Island 

Think see-through – and neon! I wouldn’t wear this but I can see girls wearing it on holiday or to a festival.

• Neon green crop top, £18, Boohoo 
• Green cycling shorts, £12, Pretty Little Thing 
• Earrings, £6, Nasty Gal 

Wear it in Ibiza – if you’re brave enough.

• Pink bodysuit, £20, Pretty Little Thing 
• Red trousers, £13, Primark 

Welcome to what’s best described as ‘the beginning of the end of summer’. 

In just under two weeks, the kids will be back to school and my long stints in the Balearics will dwindle down to weekends only, as I lament the fact that one day, sometime in late autumn, the hot Balearic sunshine will pack-up and disappear until 2020.

Until then, I’ll continue proudly sporting my Balearic wardrobe. And this year a new label emerged which epitomizes the look and feel of the white isle. This is Sapphire Blue by Jenny Lily. 

A collection of garments cut from vintage reclaimed Indian saris, including short and full-length cover ups, kaftans, dresses and vests. Every beautiful vivid colour you can imagine from the beaches of Goa to Ibiza, with intricate beading and delicate sequin stitching. They were recently featured on the catwalk of the brilliant Ibiza Fashion Festival 2019.

I have gathered a few pieces for my travels and not only are they stunning when worn, they look equally beautiful hanging up in the wardrobe. Here are a few more items from Jenny’s collection.

For more information, please get in touch and I will put you directly in contact with Jenny. In the meantime, check out the full collection on the Sapphire Blue Instagram page, using the hashtag #sapphireblueuk to be featured on the page.

Onto this week’s instalment and we discover The Body Camp Ibiza and now Mallorca, Aldi’s new budget skincare range and how sequins are the only trend to blend from summer into autumn and winter 2019.

Ibiza is no longer all about late nights for dirty stop-outs. Thousands of people now flock to the White Isle not just for the weather, food or beaches, but for well-being options.

A week at The Body Camp. Just think, you could book two weeks on the white isle. Going utterly insane during week one, then detoxing and recovering during week two.

After three years as the European leader in the “holistic transformation” retreat market, The Body Camp Ibiza has opened a permanent 25-acre site in Sencelles, Mallorca. Offering a rustic countryside feel surrounded by lush panoramic views, Body Camp Mallorca is a hotel with twelve en-suite rooms, providing guests feel-good plant-based meals, activities and exercise plans. Plus, there is free time in the afternoon for exploring the island, enjoying beauty treatments or taking private one-on-one classes.

With Body Camp Ibiza quickly establishing itself as the leading retreat for rebooting and reconnecting the mind, body and soul, Body Camp’s founder Kate Whale is excited about bringing its unique energy and expertise to Mallorca.

“A full schedule will run every morning for fitness and mind goals,” says Kate. “And then in the afternoon, we will be offering optional massages, yoga, cookery classes and cycling. But those wishing to have a more restful holiday can spend the afternoons simply enjoying the retreat at their leisure.”

Recently named one of Vogue UK’s best retreats to reset, The Body Camp Mallorca will run ‘The Essentials’ programme which focuses on helping clients make crucial life-changing mind shifts using various bespoke techniques including life coaching.

Ibiza’s Executive Nutritional Chef and partner Ben Whale, whose second book The Body Camp Food Bible has been widely celebrated in the British press, will be curating the beautiful 80% plant-based menu in Mallorca as well as teaching guests how to recreate the dishes once they’re back home.

“I love cooking healthy, delicious meals for our visitors, and one of the best parts of my job is teaching about the joys of cooking amazing food that actually makes you look and feel great,” says Ben. “We’re passionate about people going home with knowledge about what they’re fuelling their body with so they can carry on the good work long after they’ve left the retreat.”

This exciting new holistic retreat will also offer guided meditation, yoga, life coaching, dance, circuits, dynamic stretching, reiki, mind-mapping, TRX, hiking and cookery workshops.

Prices for a week’s stay start from £950 (Friday to Friday), which includes the programme, accommodation and all food and drink. Shorter stays of three or four nights are from £600. Day passes are also available for £150.

For more information and bookings, please visit www.thebodycamp.com and follow on Instagram @TheBodyCampMallorca.

Whether you have a date, wedding, or simply a night out with the girls, there is a Studio 54 shimmery style to suit.Wearing sequins and dressing like a disco ball is thebig summer trend. In fact, there’s no need to save your sequins for Christmas when they can look this good all year round.

Zara have nailed it (of course), and are offering some gorgeous designer-inspired dresses for just over £100 – which is a total bargain for a full length sequin dress. As far as the high street goes, you’ll find them hard to beat.

However, if you’re looking for a fancy frock alternative, you’ll also find lots of sparkly separates on the high street too. Try a stunning sequin skirt and tone it down with a simple tee, or top off your look with a voluminous blouse. Either way disco ball dressing has never looked so good. 

Here’s some style inspiration and shop the trend below…

1.

Sequin top, £49, Zara

Green Satin Full Circle Skirt, £39, Topshop

Manda gold platform sandal, £38, Dune London

Balance out a voluminous sleeved blouse by keeping your bottom half sleek- satin works a treat.

2.

Necklace, £24.99, Pilgrim

Sequin embellished shirt, £20 River Island

Croc-effect bag, £35.99, Mango

Palazzo trousers, £49.99, Mango

Want to keep your sequins chic and classy? Wear with white.

3.

Sequin top, £45, Next 

Mom jeans, £40, Topshop

Silver high heeled sandals, £25.99, Berskha

Try a high/low combo- this means teaming a statement piece (eg, metallics or sequins) with more casual fabrics, like denim.

4.

Ophia Marble Resin Hoop Earrings, 314, Qvcuk.com

Knitted vest, £12.50, M&S

Silver sequin frill midi skirt, £50, River Island

Pink Leather-Look Round Shoulder Bag, £19.99, New Look

Let a sequin skirt be the focal point of your outfit by pairing with a simple knitted vest, or dress it down by popping on a white tee.

5.

Limited Edition Sequinned dress, £119, Zara

Glitz Diamante Green Grab Bag, £27, Topshop

Heels, £30, Asos.com

Sequins in pastel shades make a stylish alternative to florals for that summer party.

You’re either in the closet or out. Are you an Aldi fan?

I am a super fan of Aldi’s Lacura skincare range, which shamelessly imitates all the top designer products, like the Pixie toner and Clarins flash beauty balm, at a fraction of the price. The products even ape the packaging design.

Fans of Aldi’s budget beauty range will be pleased to learn that the low-cost supermarket has just launched a brand new selection of products to combat the havoc that seasonal changes can wreak on your skin.

There are three brand-new Lacura health & beauty items, designed to help one deal with the transition into the cooler autumn weather without falling victim to seasonal dry and dull skin, in store today.

New products include a Lacura 3 Step Skin Care System with a cleanser, toner and moisturiser, which is very similar to Clinique’s own three-step system. It contains oil and perfume-free formulas, so even the most sensitive of skins will be able to enjoy the reasonably-priced benefits.

There’s also a new oil and perfume-free hydrating gel moisturiser, Lacura Moisture Boost (£4.99), containing soothing aloe vera and green tea extracts, which can also double up as a cooling mask.

Another wonder skin hydrator is the Lacura Miracle Oil (£4.99) which can be used on face, body and hair as an intense moisturiser, without leaving a greasy residue.

I’m off to Aldi right now.

Welcome to another summer instalment of Amanda Zips It Up, this week from a rather cooler London and Cornwall.

Having returned to the UK, I’m not coping well with the temperature drop.  Suffice to say, Mallorca and Ibiza next weekend can’t come soon enough.

On the subject of which, if you fancy a trip to Ibiza, then the following competition might just be for you.

Some of you may remember Zips It Up featuring the talented artist Davey Brown, who is taking his latest exhibition ‘The History Of House’ to Ibiza on September 5th. It will be held at the scenic Las Mimosas in San Antonio Bay, with Ibiza legend DK Alfredo playing the opening.

The exhibition, which is also touring the UK, features the early US DJ legends such as Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan, iconic clubs/parties, legendary UK DJs and producers, plus the whole Ibiza scene from the beginning, etc.

Davey Brown’s profile as an artist is rising and he counts a number of DJs and Premier League footballers among his many clients. Check out Davey’s work at www.daveybrownart.com

Davey is running a competition to win a VIP trip to the Ibiza part of his exhibition. Here are the details:
Call 0904 5170161 to enter, where you will have to answer a question and leave your name and details. Calls cost £1 per minute plus your network provider’s access charge and will last approximately 90 seconds. (This is Davey’s competition, not mine, by the way).
The winner will get return flights from either Stansted or Newcastle airport, two nights in Sa Clau by Mambo in San Antonio, airport transfers, a goodie bag with CDs, t-shirts and a House music book, a portrait of the winner’s favourite DJ painted by Davey Brown, two guest list places for a club and £250 spending money. 

The competition closes on August 29th at 23.59. Good luck to everyone who enters.

www.daveybrownart.com/competition for full terms and conditions.

And in this week’s issue, we have the answer for those sore feet that have been dancing all night at Amnesia and Pacha, swimming trunks to showcase the bravest of men’s packages and an amazing new handbag designer and her range of beautiful handbags and clutches.

So, you’re off to Pacha or Fabric tonight and you’re looking forward to wearing your new heels.

Forward-wind to early tomorrow morning, when you’re hobbling out of the venue begging for a taxi, with those heels in a spare Aldi carrier bag.

Well it’s finally time to say goodbye to braving cold pavements in bare feet, because a total genius has created a pair of special shoe socks to wear after a night out.

Aptly named “Aftersocks”, the incredible creation comes with a reinforced sole. So you can ditch the heels without hurting your feet.

You can even walk to the kebab shop without shoes – your feet will remain clean and comfy. And the best part? They roll up super-small, so you can fit them inside the tiniest of clutch bags.

The socks have been launched on Kickstarter and are already 568% funded, raising over £27,000.

They’re set to be available in three different colours. The product is made from high-quality nylon and cotton with a PVC sole to make the sock stronger and to provide extra protection.

And you won’t have to sacrifice style, either, with the socks available in black, silver and gold and in sizes small, medium and large.

The campaign will remain on Kickstarter for the next 12 days before the product is developed.

Once on sale, the socks will be priced at £14 for a pack of three.

The Creators say ” Aftersocks is an elegant solution to a problem that most women face. A solution so simple that no one ever thought of it: Aftersocks that have been thoughtfully designed and crafted with an underside constructed from PVC and extra soft layers of cushioning that hug the contours of your feet.”

Why the hell didn’t anyone think of this prior to my rubbing the skin off the soles of my feet every weekend for a decade?

Every summer,Zips It Up brings you a seemingly endless series of questionable swimwear trends.

The internet is going wild for these beach shorts, as there’s more for us to see – quite literally.

MaverickSwim’s Transparent Waterproof Beach Short cost £23.

They come in a sizes medium or large, and there’s currently free delivery to the UK. The clear plastic polyester material features a drawstring opening and fetching neon lime green trim.

With full transparency, we’d recommend that they are worn with underwear beneath, to avoid the risk of arrest for indecent exposure.

According to the brand’s website: “Berlin waterproof transparent shorts are completely see-through and leave it totally up to you if you want to wear a colourful statement Speedo underneath or just go bare for fun”.

“The polyester shorts come with neon lining that makes you pop out of the crowds!”

Unsurprisingly, the shorts have received mixed reviews on Twitter.

One person teased: “A recipe for sweaty junk…”

Another joked: “Better wear nothing to save some plastic.”

A third mocked: “It’s gonna be a hard no for me.”