1 / 2
Lifestyle Barometer: Your guide to what’s hot and what’s not this week from the Spice Girls to red meat
Going up ▲▲ Size inclusivityThis week, Dolce & Gabbana announced that it has extended its size range up to a UK 22.The Italian label is the first luxury fashion house to extend its range up to that size, which is the equivalent of a size 54 in Italy, making it one of the most inclusive designer brands for women.The extension begins with Dolce & Gabbana’s pre-fall collection, which is on sale now, and the brand has confirmed that it will continue to cast plus-size models in its campaigns to reflect the move.“Dolce & Gabbana has been supportive of curvy models for years,” a spokesperson for the label told The Independent. “With this project we would like to draw special attention to the brand’s commitment to women’s diversity.”In previous years, Dolce & Gabbana has cast women of all ages and sizes to walk its runways, including actor Monica Bellucci and models Ashley Graham and Tess McMillan.Dolce & Gabbana’s decision comes days after Nike unveiled plus-size mannequins in its flagship Oxford Street store to promote body positivity.▲ Pride monthTo celebrate Pride month, Instagram has rolled out several new updates to its platform including the introduction of more inclusive gender options.Previously, Instagram users could only select “male”, “female” or “not specified”, but now they can select “male”, “female”, “prefer not to say” or enter the gender with which you identify in a custom entry field.The update has been introduced specifically with transgender and gender non-conforming individuals in mind, Instagram states.A number of fashion and lifestyle brands have also released Pride-themed products that donate proceeds to worthy causes, including Asos, Converse, Marc Jacobs and Ikea. ▲ The Spice GirlsThis week the Spice Girls arrived back in London to take over Wembley Stadium for three nights.It comes as part of the Spice World tour, with the group performing their first headline dates since 2008. On Thursday night, a number of celebrities joined the crowd to see the Nineties icons reunite including actor Emma Stone, US band Haim and singer Sam Smith. Ahead of the concert, Spice Girls member Emma Bunton shared a photograph on Instagram of herself cosying up to Stone in the empty stadium just hours before she took to the stage.“When Emma met Emma,” the 43-year-old wrote in the caption of the photo with the hashtag “2become1” in reference to the pop group’s 1996 hit of the same name.▲ McDonald’s breakfastMcDonald’s has extended its breakfast deadline from 10.30am to 11am.From Wednesday 12 June, seven of the fast food chain’s UK restaurants will trial the extended service for six weeks. The chosen restaurants for the new scheme are based in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.However, if the scheme proves successful, the company says it will roll out the later breakfast service nationwide.▲ HalseyAmerican singer Halsey paid tribute to the lesbian couple who were attacked on a London bus last week during a concert in Camden.On Monday, the artist took to the stage at the Electric Ballroom wearing a T-shirt that featured a photograph of the two women on the front and the words “F*** Your Straight Pride” on the back.The couple displayed on her top were Melania Geyamont and her girlfriend Chris, who were hospitalised with facial injuries and left covered in blood after being attacked by a group of men in a homophobic attack in north London. In a powerful speech captured on video, Halsey spoke about the “vicious” attack that was made on the couple before addressing the fear many members of the LGBT+ community can feel when out in public. “When the glitter is being swept out of the streets, a lot of people get on those trains and on those buses, and they try to wash the rainbows off their bodies,” Halsey said in fan-captured footage which was shared on Twitter.“Because when Pride is over, it’s not safe to be gay anymore. They are worried that someone is going to viciously assault them or viciously attack them.”Going down ▼▼ Cultural appropriation Luxury fashion house Carolina Herrera has been accused of cultural appropriation.On Thursday, Mexico’s culture secretary, Alejandra Frausto, wrote a letter to the brand regarding its Resort 2020 collection which “takes on the playful and colourful mood of a Latin holiday”.In the letter of complaint sent to the fashion house and its new creative director, Wes Gordon, Frausto asked the brand to explain why it had used patterns that originate from indigenous communities in Mexico. The collection was also criticised on social media where a number of users vilified the fashion brand for “pocketing millions” from hard-working artisans in Mexico.“It’s not a tribute, it’s plagiarism,” one person wrote on Twitter.In a statement, Gordon said that the Resort 2020 collection has “an undeniable Mexican presence” and that he tried to “highlight the importance of this magnificent cultural heritage”.▼ Red meatA new study has found that eating red meat three times a week could increase the risk of early death by 10 per cent.High intake of red meat, such as beef, pork and lamb, has previously been linked with a number of health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.To find out how red meat can influence the risk of premature death a team of researchers from Harvard looked at the link between levels of red meat consumption over an eight year period with mortality during the subsequent eight years.The researchers found that eating both processed and unprocessed red meat 3.5 times a week or more over an eight year period was associated with a 10 per cent higher risk of death.Similarly, increasing processed red meat intake, such as bacon and sausages, by 3.5 servings a week or more was associated with a 13 per cent higher risk of death, while increasing intake of unprocessed red meat was associated with a nine per cent higher risk.The team also found that swapping red meat for healthier animal or plant-based alternatives was associated with a lower risk of death among both men and women. ▼ Single-use plasticLast week, two major companies announced the launch of new initiatives that are designed to tackle plastic pollution.On Tuesday, Aldi revealed that it is planning to scrap traditional plastic bags from all its stores in favour of paper and biodegradable versions. From July, the German supermarket will be offering paper bags at half of its UK stores, while the other half will offer compostable bags as part of a trial.Once the trial ends, the most popular choice will be selected as Aldi’s permanent shopping bags. Earlier this week, Gatwick became the first UK airport to trial a reusable coffee cup scheme in a bit to cut down on waste.Passengers are currently being offered the option to borrow and return refillable cups from Starbucks instead of using disposable, paper alternatives.Customers will then be able to return the reusable cups to the store or drop off them off at a designated point in the airport before boarding their flight.▼ Sexist adverts Advertising that endorses harmful gender stereotypes has officially been banned.On Friday, new rules set out by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) came into effect meaning companies will no longer be able to depict scenes the promote gender stereotypes, such as women doing household chores while their male partners relax with their feet up.Other scenarios that would come under fire according to the new guidelines include schoolgirls being shown to be less academic than boys, women struggling to park a car and men having difficulty changing an infant’s nappy.The new code follows a review of gender roles as depicted in advertisements by the ASA, which found evidence that harmful stereotypes “can restrict the choices, aspirations and opportunities of children, young people and adults”.▼ Parenting double standardsJohn Legend has called out the double standards mothers and fathers face when raising their children.In April 2016, Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen went on their first date night as parents a week after their daughter, Luna, was born.Legend revealed that people were shaming Teigen for leaving the house but didn’t say anything negative about him.“Look, we’re both parents and we’re both going out,” Legend told Romper.“If you think that’s not appropriate – and first of all, you shouldn’t think that’s not appropriate – if you’re going to blame somebody, blame both of us, not just the mother.”The 40-year-old went on to explain that “gender norms”, where the mother is expected to take sole care of the children while the father works, are “baked into how people are having these conversations”. “I just wish people would think more about that and what that means,” Legend added.
It’s 25 years since the Spice Girls formed, and their reunion tour – minus Victoria Beckham, who gets a dig on “Wannabe” (“Easy V: where is she?”) – has packed out Wembley for three nights. Nineties nostalgia is big business, leopard print is back in fashion, and the crowd – women of all ages, and a fair few men in ginger wigs – are as fizzy and overflowing as the prosecco necked on the tube over.
We all know what we’re here for: the old hits, a bit of stadium spectacle, and another glimpse at Girl Power and these particular “girls”’ enduring friendship.
They deliver the expected songs and sparkle. There are fireworks, more sequins than a Strictly finale, and coo-inducing light shows that flicker through wristbands in the crowd. The Spice Girls’ back catalogue is hardly extensive, so all the big tunes are obviously here. I grew up with this music – my first ever gig was the 1998 Spiceworld Tour – and there's no denying that the heart swells on hearing this huge crowd chanting along to every track.
Highlights include the groovesome “Say You’ll Be There”, the perfectly formed pop classic “Stop” – yes, everyone here can still do all the moves, except apparently Geri – and even the “2 Become 1”, because it never gets old having Emma Bunton sweetly lecturing you about safe sex.
Still, there is some real barrel scraping: I’d forgotten the kitschy cabaret pastiche “The Lady is a Vamp” and wish it had stayed that way, while the singles from their third album such as “Let Love Lead the Way” and “Holler” remind you why they stopped making music. There’s also a real misstep leading into the latter, when over a marching band (very budget Beyonce) they revive their old chant “we know how we got this far/strength and courage in a Wonderbra”. As a vision of feminism, this maybe – maybe – passed muster in the Nineties, but sounds woefully out of step in 2019.
Earlier concerts drew complaints about the sound, and it’s still pretty murky and muddy, although surely less disastrous than previous outings. And their singing is nothing special, apart from Melanie Chrisholm, whose vocal strength and confidence does the heavy lifting, as it always did. But then it was never really about the singing technique.
It was about the girls, and their friendship. And that, I’m afraid, is less glittering, more grimacing. Before the tour, Melanie Brown caused a kerfuffle by saying she’d slept with Geri Horner, who described the revelation as “hurtful”. The drama seems to have spilled onto the stage: Horner looks stiff and awkward, wandering off while the other three – who do still seem like best mates – laugh, cry, and hug it out. It’s knuckle-chewingly awkward at moments – and completely fascinating to gawp at.
The show’s whole message is “friendship never ends”, and the commitment to and celebration of female friendship first was always the appeal of the Spice Girls. So this stagey version feels a little sickly. Earnest video inserts about being like sisters ring hollow; they literally cover “We Are Family”, even though Horner is abandoned like she’s everyone’s least-favourite uncle.
The other appeal of the Spice Girls was their clearly demarcated, heavily marketed individual characters, and their chaotic, girls-let-loose sense of fun. The former is present, but feels more rigid than ever: each woman has a “house” of dancers (shamelessly adopting the terminology of drag ball culture) who mimic their colour-coded outfits.
Bunton is still a baby in pink and fluff, Mel B looks sensational in a leopard-print body stocking that certainly would scare most women, and Mel C rocks trainers and trousers, albeit of the tightest, spangliest variety. Then there’s poor Geri, who seems to have come as… Royal Spice? Dressed in long flowing robes and tiaras, Horner often looks like she’s drifted in from another show entirely – perhaps an am-dram Shakespeare history play. Her performance is about as wooden.
Granted, there are occasional moments of genuine daftness, bickering and piss-taking – they all cheerfully moan about a malfunctioning lift, and mock Mel B, who once married a backing dancer, as she prowls after their lissom chorus. But mostly it feels carefully stage-managed. Maybe it’s too much to expect their unfettered, unfiltered energy to be intact. They’re still selling the same brand decades after anyone might have expected; no wonder it’s ossified. Few of us want to live solely in the same outfits and listen to the same songs we did two decades ago – more likely, we want to step back into Spiceworld for one nostalgic night only. And, in that respect, the Spice Girls still really do it for their fans.
Yahoo News 
