Harry Styles is rocking a Gucci ballgown while sticking two fingers up to toxic masculinity, as first solo man on Vogue US cover. It has caused a storm, to say the least.

In the landmark edition, the former One Direction star waxes lyrical about a range of topics, including his time in the boy band, his celebrated foray into film, as well as his personal style inspiration. Wearing an array of outfits designed for all genders and no genders at the same time, Harry shares his thoughts on wearing clothes designed for women.  He comments that once you take down any barriers you’re freeing yourself up to enjoy so much more. ‘Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with’.

 ‘What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away “There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women,” o you open up the arena in which you can play. ‘I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing.’

US fans were loving the fact Harry’s beloved white Vans made it into one of the shots. Harry was praised by his sister Gemma, who also starred in the shoot for a spread inside, she wrote on Twitter: ‘Vogue December 2020 @Harry_Styles The first man to appear solo on the cover of @voguemagazine. ‘So proud of who you are. Thanks for asking m.’ Read Harry’s full interview in the December issue of US Vogue.

The Vogue edition co-insides with this week’s on-line GUCCI FEST.

When Gucci announced in May that it would be eschewing the traditional fashion show schedule in favour of two seasonless and genderless shows a year, people were left wondering what the brand would do instead.

After the Italian brand was notably absent from Milan Fashion Week, in September, the collections have been presented to the world in the form of a seven-episode miniseries during a week-long digital film festival, GucciFest.

Co-directed by Gus Van Sant, the series will star “international talents and friends of the house,” including Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Florence Welch. Just Google GucciFest and check out all the pictures.

Welcome to this week’s round up of fashion and lifestyle, during a week big on euphoria.

Trump is out and sleepy Joe is in. Bad news to some in the US, but surely a safer world for everyone? I do love the US election. To a certain extent I will be sad to see the end of Trump, purely for his daily entertainment value.

On Monday, we were cartwheeling down the street whilst fist punching, after the ‘announcement’ finally arrived.  Yes, the coronavirus VACCINE is ready to rock and roll. It’s the only way out of this hell hole we’re all inhabiting right now, and whether you’re a conspiracist or not will likely determine if you opt to “vax” or not – a discussion we’re all bound to be having in the coming weeks.

So, it seems like normality is around the corner, as we hear the “toot” of the salvation bugle in the distance. 2021(or the latter part at least) could possibly be the BEST YEAR EVER, as people all over the world go absolutely nuts. I for one will be glad to see the back of the loungewear that has dominated our fashion scene in 2020.

Our potential release from loungewear comes just as we receive news that the ultimate loungewear – the ‘Juicy Couture’ velour tracksuit – is to return, marking the 25^th anniversary of its Godforsaken launch, back in the 90s.

Looking back on the trend, it was both very 90s and comical. In reality, we were splurging on glorified pyjamas with crystals glued onto the derrières. You couldn’t pick up a tabloid without seeing one of these signature velour sets in candy colours sported by the biggest names of the day: Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Lopez. But there was something authentic and charming about the trend. Stars seemed to wear them because they loved them, not because they were paid to. “Juicy was before the heyday of stylists” says Nicky Hilton Rothschild, who, along with her sister Paris, was an early adopter of the tracksuit, helping it reach an insane level of covetability. “Now, girls are styled in head-to-toe runway looks just to do errands. Girls back then wore what they wanted because they liked it, and it was comfortable.”

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Juicy is launching a new collection of tracksuits, T-shirts, and jumpsuits that will be available on JuicyCouture.com.  

So, as we start to leave the pandemic behind us, let’s go out with a bang in a Juicy tracky to celebrate. Wouldn’t that be the best and most ironic way to say goodbye to the leisure wear we’ve been cooped-up in?

QUEEN BEY has launched a brand-new Ivy Park collection, called Drip 2.

The collection offers its broadest sizing range yet, from XXXS to 4X, and comprises Ivy Park’s signature athleisure wear styles: ranging from sweatshirts and sweatpants to jackets and joggers.

The first drop back in January was a blaze of cranberry hues which were accented with orange piping. Drip 2 introduces bursts of zesty yellow, honey beige, and forest green.

Beyoncé says “Colour became a way to offset the sadness we’ve all been experiencing this year. While we all still feel a bit uncertain about the times, I hope this collection for men and women (makes) everyone remembers better times and that it adds some joy, fun, and playfulness.”

Some pieces from Drip 2 are gender neutral, something that was important to Beyoncé. “I focused on designing a unisex collection because I saw so many men in Ivy Park. “I appreciate the beauty of gender-neutral clothing and breaking the so-called fashion rules.”

The collection expands Ivy Park’s footwear offering with six new styles, including a take on Adidas’ best-selling Ultra Boost trainers.

Bey’s sophomoric collection, which is in collaboration with Adidas, follows the January relaunch of the brand, after she took full ownership in 2018. 

The Grammy-winner is now the only African American woman to have 100 percent ownership of an athleisure brand.

Prices start from £25. Drip 2 is here online and in select adidas stores.

By Chanelle Clark Bruccoleri

The Christmas countdown is upon us (did I hear yawns or yays?!) and I have been busy seeking out suitable gifts to spoil your nearest and dearest. Restrictions may be aplenty over this festive period; however, gifting is something no PM or pandemic can lockdown!

Let’s kick off this week with presents for our besties; and all are under £50, yet highly covetable.

Personalised Writing Paper

Fashion designer Rosie Assoulin has collaborated on an exquisite, sustainable stationary line with luxury stationer Papier. It is inspired by uplifting watercolours and consists of notebooks, notecards and writing papers. My personal favourite is the Paisley writing papers, which I will be having personalised, for the desks of a lucky few.

Prices range from a very affordable £16.99 – £31.99

Star Earrings

At Zips It Up, we just adore stars and embellish ourselves with them all year round! Hush has an amazing range – from the edgier ear hooks to blingy, statement drops. You truly are spoilt for choice. I am loving the Rondas myself to jazz up an outfit. You can’t promise your friend any wise men, but she can be a recipient of stars!

Prices range from £22-£36

Thoughtful Candle – I Wish you Lived Next Door

As it is not always possible to see those we want to in this current climate, it is lovely to give them a reminder of our sentiments. I sent this hand poured candle to a dear friend for her birthday and she was delighted with it. The message couldn’t be more succinct, it looks stylish and smells just like the original Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin.

£29.99 per candle. Gift box and lid, optional and extra.

Antique Style Locket Ring

This beautiful ring looks so much more expensive than it is and the antique-style finish is authentic. It comes in two colourways and has space for photographs of both of you. Such a touching gift to receive and it will be cherished – plus it looks damn cool!

Price £44.00 – currently has 15% off with code MAGIQUE

Zara Customisable Shirt

If you are like me, you will be a sucker for anything that can be monogrammed. So, to have our favourite high street store bring out a blue and white, striped, button down shirt (wardrobe staple) with the option to initialise it, is just genius. Order this unique piece promptly before it sells out; one for you as well as your best friend, of course.

Price a mere £29.99

That’s it from me for now. I will be back next week with a guide for what to buy ‘Him Indoors’.

Tip from the top: Do remember to get ordering some of these gifts pronto as personalisation can take time.

Happy Shopping!

Chanelle Clark Bruccoleri

Here’s a wonderful Xmas gift for all clubbers and dance music lovers alike. 

A fun 2021 calendar for the Pure Seas campaign, featuring DJs Alex P Matthew Nelson, Jon pleased Wimmin, Jonathan Ulysses, Lisa Loud, Brandon Block, Master Pasha, Mark Anthony & Evenson Allen, Ratpack from the Mighty RatPack…

The campaign Pure Sea has been campaigning to protect our oceans and marine life from further plastic pollution. Unfortunately, since the pandemic, the increase in single use plastic waste has increased greatly because of PPE. Pure Sea is dedicated to funding research teams tasked with providing cleaner environments, rehabilitation and critical care of the wildlife affected. They also need funding to expand and continue with vital beach clean-up logistics and equipment.

Throughout the pandemic, Pure Sea has continued to clean the beaches and rivers of the UK, with an army of volunteers.  Sadly, they lost 14 events and school talks due to Covid-based cancellations,  but they are pursuing the cause with lots of new ideas for 2021

Order your Pure Sea 2021 Calendar today, signed by your favourite DJs. It’s £15 inc p&p – please leave your name and address

paypal.me/puresea

Contact Lisa on pureseaevents@outlook.com

#onepuresea

#sharpscapephotography

#oslpromotionalclothing

#aztecstudiosltd

#marina_harbour_street

#zerodotnine

#centreforceradiodab

Welcome to November (and welcome to another lockdown). Urgh.

Trying to remain positive, it is what it is, and I’ll be here each week, bringing you fashion and lifestyle news to take you away from it for 10 minutes, every fashion Friday.

There’s a ‘National Hero’ emerging from 2020, with his Free School Dinners campaign providing a glimmer of positive news during the Covid era.

Burberry has announced a partnership with footballer Marcus Rashford for a new charitable initiative to support youth organisations in Manchester and London.

The Manchester United star has become a leading figure in the fight against child food poverty in the UK. The 23-year-old striker has raised £20 million in financial and food donations for food distribution charity FARESHARE and in October he petitioned parliament to extend free school meals to cover the holidays. Despite the petition becoming only the fifth in British political history to exceed one million signatures, MPs rejected the accompanying Labour Party proposal by 322-261 votes. 

Rashford, however, continues to galvanise the nation to step up and support feeding needy children, and has also formed the Child Food Poverty Taskforce, bringing together the biggest names in the European food industry to find a long-term solution to combat child food poverty across the UK.

Burberry is supporting Rashford’s partnership with food distribution charity FareShare, by providing donations which will fund over 200,000 meals distributed across 11,000 charities and community groups across the UK. Burberry’s efforts will also focus more broadly on supporting youths in need: from education to supporting young creatives and artists, and helping young entrepreneurs.

I’m so glad to be able to report something positive, when positivity is particularly thin on the ground right now. Anyway… in this week’s instalment we check out Gucci’s ripped tights, Noel Gallagher’s model daughter Anais and the new language of the covid era.

Everyone’s favourite Italian Fashion House Gucci has been slammed for selling ripped tights that look like they’ve been ‘clawed by a cat’.  For £146.

The tights, which are marked as “sold out” by various third-party sellers, are described by Gucci as ‘High-rise’ and ‘distressing throughout’ with a ‘woven logo at elasticised waistband’.

Some social media commentators weren’t impressed: ‘To whoever paid $190 (£146) for these @Gucci pre-ripped tights… r u ok? said #RippedInItaly’.

Haute Couture designer Natalia Fender, who is best known for her unorthodox use of metal textiles in knitting, defended the brand, adding: ‘To be fair they had to program the knitting machine to make it looked ‘ripped’, so I’m assuming the tights will not run any further. Similar to t-shirts that have this look.’

Gucci’s launch comes just weeks after fellow designer Ralph Lauren left fans baffled by advertising a pair of £620 overalls that are covered in fake paint stains.

The blue cotton boiler suit has white and red splatters all over it and “worn” marks on the knees. It is kept together by gold zip and looks like something that could be worn by a painter and decorator.

My advice – grab a pair of 80 denier tights at M&S at £3.99 and bite a hole with your teeth, then let rip to your heart’s content.

The new generation ‘Primrose Hill Set’ has produced ANOTHER model.

Along with Kate’s daughter Lila Moss, Pearl’s daughter Daisy and Sadie’s kids Rafferty and Iris, Noel Gallagher and Meg Matthews’ daughter Anais has emerged as a lingerie model.

The 20-year-old has modelled for Bluebella for their latest collection

– her first major lingerie campaign – but news of it may come as a surprise to her father.

The 20-year-old daughter of Oasis rocker Noel stars in a series of racy snaps – but while she showed mum Meg the photos straight away, Anais kept the shoot a secret from Noel.

However, Anais believes Noel will be in favour of the saucy shots, explaining: “This will be the first time he has seen them – but he is very open about what I do. “I think any father would be happy with this message of their daughter being empowered, and that’s exactly what this is.

While Anais looks sensational, the model says she has hang-ups and insecurities about her body – worrying about the public reaction she is going to receive from the photos. “Like most young women I’m a bit self-conscious with pictures of myself and I wasn’t confident about how I looked. But mum said to me, ‘Are you mad, they are amazing!’ 

While her parents were famous for their rock n roll lifestyles with Oasis at the height of their popularity during the Britpop era of the ’90s, Anais herself admits she couldn’t be more different. She has left bustling London life, instead choosing to spend lockdown on boyfriend Julius Roberts’ organic farm near Lyme Regis in Dorset.

The Blubella range features lots of red and black lace, stockings and suspenders, verging on strappy bondage wear – so this is a risqué debut for a 20 year old.

Check out the full range and other Xmas present ideas at www.blubella.co.uk

Hurrah! (she says, sarcastically). As you read this, we have begun UK lockdown number two. Locked up for the next month – or the whole month of November (and fingers-crossed, no longer). There are many four-letter words that I frequently use when discussing the pandemic. However, 2020 has produced a whole new pandemic dictionary of phrases encountered in everyday life – words we’d never heard of prior to 2020.

So, here’s your guide to PANDEMIC 2020 LINGO:

Airgasm

The clean, clear, purifying hit of oxygen you get when you remove your face mask. Future generations will never understand the full-body pleasure that comes from whipping off your mask after a gruelling trip around Sainsburys.

Background curation

The act of conducting Zoom calls in front of a background intended to be a projection of your personality. If it’s a bookshelf, you’re telling the world that you’re well-read. Kitchen? You love domesticity. Blank walls? You’ve got something to hide, you murderer.

Blursday

The inability to tell what day it is, because life has been one long unending grey smear since the middle of March. Sure, you’re reading this on a Friday, but are you sure it’s Friday?

Coronasomnia

The inability to sleep properly because of everything that’s going on in the world. Not to be confused with coronacolepsy, which is the inability to stay awake because of everything that’s going on in the world.

Covidiot

Instagram pictures where you group-hug your 20 best friends? Covidiot. Stand too close to me in the supermarket queue? Covidiot. Wear a mask over your mouth but not your nose? Covidiot. Claim that turmeric cures the virus on Facebook? Covidiot. Say anything I don’t like about Covid. Covidiot.

Doom-scrolling

Being unable to prise yourself away from a torrent of distressing news on your phone. ‘Where are the children?’ ‘Sorry, I started doom-scrolling an hour ago… Maybe they ran away?’

Infodemic

An epidemic of information. Do you have the test and trace app? The symptom tracker? Are you watching the briefings? What tier are you on? Do you know your R rate for your postcode? It’s all too much to take in…

Isobar

An isolation bar, aka a vast stock of alcohol to help you through the long days and weeks and months until this all goes away.

Maskne

A skin condition stemming from the wearing of face masks. The moist, damp conditions under the mask can bring out a spotty rash. The good news is that you can simply hide your maskne under a mask. The bad news is that this will make it worse.

Pasta magpie

If you’ve ever watched a pensioner sigh because you’ve cleared the shelf of penne, you’re a pasta magpie. If a checkout worker has tutted as they scan your 15th toilet roll multipack, you are also a pasta magpie.

Quarantini

A drink you make in your isobar. It might not follow a traditional cocktail recipe, but you’re making do with what you’ve got. ‘What are you drinking?’ ‘It’s like a sangria, but I’m using Chewits instead of oranges until the Ocado order gets here.’

Upperwear

The act of conducting a video call while half-dressed. The person on the end of the line thinks that you’re wearing a suit. However, from the waist down, you’re actually still in pyjamas.

Zumping

Dumping a person over Zoom. Obviously better than ghosting (not responding to any messages or calls), and infinitely preferable to dumping someone via text message. You’d think a zumping would be worse than in-person dumping, but what if you start to dump someone in person then cough, and accidentally give them Covid? Perhaps the zump is the way of the future.

Welcome to Amanda Zips It Up. It’s the end of October – 10 months down, 2 to go, before the end of this year of hell. Surely 2021 can only get better?

I suppose we may as well start thinking about Christmas and stocking filler ideas, and this week my friend Caroline informed me about some cheap and cheeky little gifts guaranteed to make you giggle at Poundland. But here’s the question, would YOU buy a ‘Viagra’ equivalent from Poundland?

The herbal Poundland ‘Viagra’ comes in two varieties – for men (in blue) and women (in pink). The retailer claims that the all-natural supplements can help lovers last longer in bedroom. This comes after the store increased its range of budget sex toys.

It’s certainly a cheaper and easier option, compared to the actual prescription drug Viagra, a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction. Viagra works by driving blood flow to the penis which helps the man achieve and sustain an erection.

The Poundland products’ packaging recommends customers “pop two pills before playtime and say hello to fun times”.

And the store has extended its range of sex toys to include a vibrating love ring, a finger fun simulator and lube, all under the ‘Nooky’ brand.

Anything to make Christmas a more joyful event, in the current climate.

Onto this week’s Zips It Up instalment, as we we discover Lily Allen’s new ‘lifestyle’ product, elegant tights to keep you snug this winter and GIFTS IDEAS FOR HER.