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Zara’s New Spring Studio Collection Features This Season’s Biggest Trends

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If Mad Men was being filmed today, its costume designer could have easily pulled from Zara’s newest Studio Collection, the Spanish retailer’s premium line that drops twice a year. Full of classic silhouettes and cinematic fabrics, the collection, entitled Rêveries which translates to being lost in a daydream features sheer cardigans, sequinned pencil skirts, and vibrant kitten heels, which also happen to be on-trend for Spring 2024

To go along with the drop, the campaign, photographed by Steven Meisel, shows models dressed to the nines while splayed across mid-century living rooms and bedrooms, seemingly lost in thought. Sensual and put-together, the collection’s separates combine to form elevated everyday looks

Scroll on to see (and shop) Zara’s newest dresses, separates, intimates, and accessories to wear throughout the spring. And note that while many styles have already sold out, they’ll be restocking soon, so keep your eyes open.

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Zara SS24 Studio Collection Dresses

Zara’s SS24 Studio Collection has a good selection of midi dresses, and they all pack a punch. Pick between modern floral flocks, sequinned camis, and organza cocktail dresses that look like you just rolled out of bed after a fabulous night out. From muted pastels to vibrant jewel tones, the rich palette is refreshing and perfect for the warm-weather season.

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Zara SS24 Studio Collection Separates

The bulk of this collection consists of spring-appropriate sweaters, pencil skirts, and outerwear. The bold sheer sweaters and cardigans, as well as the chic sleeveless tops, can easily transition from day-to-night looks. Likewise, the midi skirts (many of which are currently out of stock) can be worn to brunch, the office, or cocktail parties. Then pull everything together with one of the outerwear options, from an elevated bomber jacket to a satin trench coat.

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Zara SS24 Studio Collection Intimates

The surprising (but much-appreciated) addition to the Studio Collection is the satin and mesh intimates. Pair the bralettes with matching underwear or mix and match colourways with the fluttery shorts for a stay-at-home look. Or take the Zara models’ leads and wear the colourful bralettes under the collection’s sheer apparel for skin-baring night-out looks.

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Zara SS24 Studio Collection Accessories

When it comes to accessories, the ultra-pointed and architectural kitten heels are the real stars of the show. From the lapel-like flaps to the sculptural heels and candy-coloured options, they’ll bring a surprising pop to any outfit. Meanwhile, the sleek leather top-handle bags and elevated floral jewellery will tie your whole look together.

Shop full Zara SS24 Studio Collection

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Money Diary: A Womenswear Designer On £60,000

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Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last penny.

This week: “I’m a 32-year-old womenswear designer living in London. I graduated from university 10 years ago, and specialise in multidisciplinary womenswear (all types of products). I’m not really a ‘girly girl’ with how I dress, so I love to design outerwear the most. I hope that if I ever do get a job that is more specialised into one area, this would be where I go. I do enjoy my job and I’m happy that I ended up working in fashion, although I do get a bit ‘grass is greener’ about the area of fashion that I work in — sometimes I dream of working for a big luxury brand. I live in a one-bedroom flat with my partner (we moved in together during COVID-19). My dream is to own my own house so this is what I’m working on with my current savings goals. I try to save as much as possible, within reason, while still enjoying my life in the present and the money that I make!”

Occupation: Womenswear designer
Industry: Fashion
Age: 32
Location: London
Salary: £60,000
Paycheque Amount: £3,220
Number of housemates: One, my partner.
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing costs: £950 rent
Loan payments: £300 student loan taken directly from paycheque.
Savings: £20,000 in savings + £8,000 in premium bonds.
Pension? Included in paycheque deduction; standard set by workplace at 5%.
Utilities: We live in a building where these are included in our rent, apart from the wifi, which I split with my partner (£19 each) and a cleaner who comes once a week (£50).
All other monthly payments: £16.50 
phone; £50 charity donation; £60
supplements/medical expenses; £69
Classpass; £164 London travel card.
Subscriptions: £17 for my half of Netflix, Spotify and Amazon.

Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? 
Yes, undergraduate degree level. I took out a student loan and had a maintenance loan, which I pay off each month. But it hasn’t actually gone down since I started paying it off 10 years ago, due to high interest rates. My parents also helped me out with additional course costs sometimes when needed (buying fabrics and other art/textile materials), as my course was expensive.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
Growing up money was always tight and we were always scraping by. I don’t think we were poor, just a normal family of two parents and two children living on one salary (’90s style). I was encouraged to save my money up for larger purchases that I might want for myself. My parents did not or could not buy us expensive things most of the time, apart from birthdays. My dad especially is very money conscious: He doesn’t invest but is always making his finances work as hard as they can. Both of my parents love good quality and tasteful things, but were always on the look out for a bargain or a deal to get nice purchases for cheaper prices, so we bought a lot of things secondhand. My dad encouraged me as a teenager to create budgets for myself and this is something I then carried onto university and adult life. 

If you have, when did you move out of your parents’/guardians’ house?
19.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
At age 22, when I graduated. 

What was your first job and why did you get it?
Babysitting from a young age, 12 or 13. 
Then I got a proper weekend job working in a local café in my town, aged 16. I wanted to have extra money for spending on clothes! 

Do you worry about money now?
On a daily level — no. I don’t live very extravagantly, and the money I have covers my lifestyle comfortably, and then some extra for nice purchases. But longer term, yes. I have no generational wealth, my parents are not able to help me out with money for a deposit or getting on the property ladder. I try and save as much as I can but honestly, I’m uncertain if/when I will be able to afford to get onto the property ladder which makes me feel nervous, as I do want children soon and feel that I would want my own property for my family to live in. I worry about having children and the price of maternity leave (having to save up extra money to allow for this), paying for childcare, and all of the costs that continue to accrue as children get older. I also worry about the impacts of losing some/all of my salary with having children and wanting to have time off for this — the gender progression gap, et cetera. 

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
No. 
Day One

7 a.m. — I wake up and make a coffee. Climb back into bed and check my emails and social media. I really like calm mornings like this when I’m not getting a workout in — a coffee in bed feels luxurious! 

7:30 a.m. — I hop in the shower and get ready for work. 

8:30 a.m. — I have breakfast at home to save money: porridge and blueberries. I’m trying to be good and do breakfasts at home and take my lunch in — but I only manage this about half of the time.

9 a.m. — I get on the tube and commute to work, arriving for 9:30 a.m. and heading straight into my Monday morning email catch-up and then a team meeting. 

12:30 p.m. — Lunch. I didn’t bring any lunch today so I go to Pret and grab a sandwich, £4.50. I also pop to the shops on my lunch break to buy Valentine’s Day mini gifts (heart-shaped candles and chocolates) for Galentine’s night tomorrow, and a card for my partner, £22.30.

5:30 p.m. — I finish up after a busy day at work and leave for the commute home (my least favourite part of day).

6:30 p.m. — I swing by the local supermarket on the home to buy dinner ingredients. My partner and I loosely take turns with buying dinner food if we haven’t done a big shop at the weekend. These will hopefully do us for tonight and leftovers, £12.95.

7 p.m. — We cook dinner together — it’s sweet chilli chicken wraps tonight with lots of veggies. I’m trying to get in as many vegetables as I can, so we make a few cooked vegetable options and then load up with as many different types as we can fit in. Yum! 

8:30 p.m. — I sit down to make Valentine’s Day cards for Galentine’s tomorrow. I have pre-folded cards at home and paint some watercolour motifs, so this is free. And although I ended up spending more than I intended on the mini gifts, this has saved me money on cards. 

11 p.m. —Bedtime! 

Total: £39.75
Day Two

7 a.m. — I get up and head to a gym class. I use Class Pass so rotate around different classes and locations. Today’s is a core-focused HIIT workout. 

9:20 a.m. — I’m running late for work this morning, and I grab a quick breakfast on the way from Pret, £3.65. 

9:30 a.m. — I make a coffee at work to save money. 

1 p.m. — Lunchtime. I have packed leftover dinner from last night to have cold at work, so don’t buy lunch today. Woohooo! 

7 p.m. — I’ve booked to have tacos with my girlfriends in Soho for Galentine’s. I’m not drinking so my bill is reasonable, £19.
 
8 p.m. — I dish out Galantine’s mini gifts and cards made last night and these are all very well received!

10 p.m. — Home time and straight to bed. 

Total: £22.65
Day Three

9 a.m. — I grab breakfast and a flat white on the way to work, £7.45. I really fancied a flat white today but when the total comes up to pay I remind myself that this is not a sustainable habit! 

2 p.m. — My day is very busy, and as we have a big fitting, work have bought in sushi for lunch. A nice win, but I end up eating later then usual as its hard to have a break mid-fit. 

6:30 p.m. — I buy tomorrow’s lunch on the way home, a pre-made salad for £4. I try to make my own salads when I have time and motivation to prep. I usually prefer them to store bought but this is easy and cheaper than buying from a place in central London. 

7:30 p.m. — It’s Valentine’s Day today but my partner and I have decided not to go out as we are both exhausted and hate the cliché of being out for dinner at a restaurant on Valentine’s Day. We order a takeaway which we split the cost of, £24.70 each. We don’t have alcohol as we are trying to extend our dry January as long as possible this year — we like the health benefits and money saving.

8 p.m. — We swap cards and he’s bought me flowers, which are beautiful lilies! 

10:30 p.m. — We have an early bed time as we both are so tired and up early tomorrow. 

Total: £36.15
Day Four

8:15 a.m. — I make breakfast at home — porridge and blueberries again this morning. I’m getting slightly bored of this but know it’s good for me and my purse strings. It might be time to change up to something else soon!

9 a.m. — I buy a coffee on the way to work as I fancy a flat white again, £3.95.

1 p.m. — I eat the lunch I bought yesterday at the supermarket, so I don’t have to buy lunch. 

3:30 p.m. — It’s a beautiful day. It really feels like a hint of spring for the first time this year, so I pop out for an afternoon stroll with my colleague and we pick up some office treats (chocolate cornflake cakes and mini rolls from M&S Food), £6.

6 p.m. — My partner is out tonight so I buy dinner food for myself on the way home, £7.33.

7 p.m. — I make dinner for myself — chilli and prawn pasta — and sit down to catch up on the Valentine’s episode of First Dates. I then watch a couple of episodes of One Day on Netflix. 

9:30 p.m. — I do some online shopping tonight as there are some beauty re-stocks that I need. I spend £57.40 on my beauty bits and then order a new lampshade for the bedroom, £29. We don’t need one, I just want a refresh from the current IKEA jobbie, and I’ve seen lots of rooms with the new one I buy on Instagram.

10 p.m. — We’re also looking at booking a holiday at the moment and I use this as an excuse to buy some gorgeous stripy beach towels I’ve seen, £50.

11 p.m. — I get into bed with the intention of lights out right way, but my partner comes home just as I do so, so I stay up chatting to him and eventually go to sleep at around 11:30 p.m.

Total: £153.68
Day Five

7 a.m. — Normally I work from home on a Friday, but today I’ve got to go in to get some stuff done with the team on a capsule that we are doing (it’s a high deadline time).

7:30 a.m. — I head to the gym before work; I’m trying a spin class today for the first time in about four years. 

9 a.m. — I threw a granola bar in my bag from home as a post-gym breakfast/snack, but I buy a chocolate and banana protein shake from the studio’s shake bar as they are really, really good, £6.80.

10:30 a.m. — I make a coffee at work as I’ve bought the shake. By this point I don’t really need one but I love coffee so much I can’t resist. Cue jitters for the rest of the morning. 

12:30 p.m. — I’m super hungry today after my spin class, so I run out earlier than I usually would to get some lunch. I get a fat juicy sandwich from a local sandwich place, £6.50.  

5:30 p.m. — I finish work and pop home before my evening plans. It’s a quick turnaround but my partner is working from home and killing time in central London would probably mean heading to the shops — so this way I’m also avoiding temptation. 
 
8 p.m. — We’re having dinner at a friend’s tonight, so we buy two bottles of wine from the trendy wine shop on the way to take with us, £27.

Total: £40.30
Day Six

9:30 a.m. — I go to Park Run with a couple of friends who live nearby, then hit the coffee shop after and grab a coffee and pastry, £7.75.

11 a.m. — I head home and shower, put some laundry on and clean the kitchen. We try and keep it tidy between our cleaner’s visits but inevitably it always needs a refresh between deep cleans. 

1 p.m. — I take a jacket I’ve sold on Vinted to the post office to send. I try and side hustle selling as many of my unwanted clothes as I can. I have a lot of clothes because of my job but I’m quite good at only buying things I like, and getting rid of things that I no longer wear or don’t want to keep for work references. 

1:20 p.m. — Come home and my partner has bought lunch food — fish finger sandwiches! 

5:30 p.m. — After a day of bumbling around the flat, we head out to the cinema to see Poor Things, as everyone’s been raving about it, £15.50.

8:30 p.m. — We grab a burger on the way home for dinner — there’s a fun Smash Burger place that’s opened up recently that we haven’t tried. With a couple of beers, the bill comes to £26 each. 

Total: £49.25
Day Seven

10:30 a.m. — We have a slow start to the morning, and my partner runs out to buy coffees and croissants (this is a real Sunday routine and we take it in turns doing this).

11:45 a.m. — We we hop on the bus to go to the big supermarket — we’re trying to be better at doing a “big shop” rather than buying food on the way home each day. We had to stock up on a few things so it’s quite an expensive one, but I do have a coupon from Nectar which saves us a bit, £73.80.

1 p.m. — We come home and make a quick lunch of tuna melts before heading out — we’ve booked into the Barbican Conservatory this afternoon, which is free (hurrah!).

4 p.m. — We grab hot chocolates afterwards, £4.15 (with a 50p oat milk charge).

7 p.m. — Cook dinner with ingredients bought from our big shop. We have sausages and lentils from a recipe we have seen online, very delicious! 

8 p.m. — We do our usual Sunday night wind down of watching TV and calling our parents — it’s been a full on week! Just about feeling ready to do it again. 

Total: £77.95
The Breakdown
 
Food & Drink: £245.53
Clothes & Beauty £57.40
Home & Health: £79
Entertainment: £15.50
Travel: £0
Other: £22.30

Total: £419.73

Conclusion

“WOW that’s a lot of money on food in one week. I tried not to change my natural inclination for how I was spending with the diary, as I wanted a true record of how a week might go for me. I was a little shocked adding it all up — but I also did have a more expensive week in terms of meals out than I might usually do. I already know the area I could cut down my spending is coffees and buying food out. I thought I wasn’t too bad this week but looking back on it, I think I will make more of an effort to make sure that I am trying to have coffee at home or work and eating breakfast at home. This is an area I could definitely make some savings in. The side hustle definitely helped with decreasing my outgoings, and this is something that I do try and keep going — without making a proper business of it. I have a lot of clothes working in fashion, so I do try to get rid of things that I don’t wear and sell them on. Overall I feel okay about the week — but it has highlighted some areas to improve on. It’s hard keeping the balance between feeling like I’m not enjoying any of the money that I make, and wanting to save as best I can for my future.”

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Refinery29 Loves: Everything To See & Shop In March

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Welcome to Refinery29 Loves, the monthly news bulletin where you’ll find the best things to shop and see in fashion and beauty right now.

It’s March, which means winter is finally over (...kind of). While the first two months of the year have us deep in the blistering cold, March offers us a reminder of the new season to come, with spring shining right around the corner. For the fashion crowd, the start of the month draws the autumn/winter 2024 show season to a close, with Paris Fashion Week rounding off a phenomenal month of eye-catching catwalks and show-stopping designs.

From the instantly viral Coperni handbag (made from 99% air) to a Kate Moss doppelgänger at Marine Serre, the last few weeks of fashion have provided much to talk about. Still, while style has been taking centre stage, beauty has been making movements too, with Pat McGrath practically breaking the internet with her porcelain-skin makeup at Margiela and Loewe proving that bowl cuts are the next “it” hair trend.

But just because fashion month is over, doesn’t mean that the beauty and style space doesn’t have anything exciting left to offer. In the coming weeks, an internet-favourite sunscreen is getting a makeover, alongside a star-studded campaign from a high-street sweetheart. To discover all the new March launches turning our heads this month, read on ahead.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by us. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, we may earn a commission.

Supergoop! Launches New Tinted Glowscreen SPF 30



For those in the know, Supergoop has long been known for producing some of the best SPF on the market. From its 80-minute sweat resistant Play formula to the invisible Unseen Sunscreen, the brand has created a loyal legion of followers who understand the importance of wearing SPF every single day. Now, its best-selling tinted Glowscreen (packed full of hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5 and niacinamide) is finally available in four different skin-tone shades. Acting as a dewy primer as well as providing broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection, the product is now available in a pink pearl, champagne, bronze and deep bronze shade range. Catch us trying out these new shades for the sunny (or rainy) days to come. 

Shop now at Selfridges, Space NK and Beauty Bay


Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF 30, $, available at Space NK

COS Releases Their Spring Summer 2024 Collection Ad Campaign



There are few high street retailers that hold people’s attention more than COS. Popular for its chic simplicity at a (somewhat) affordable price point, the brand boasts some of the best chunky winter knits on the market. However, its warm-weather clothing is something to behold too, from fine linen trousers to expertly cut T-shirts. This year is no different, with the brand releasing their latest spring/summer campaign featuring tailored trench coats, lightweight suiting and laidback athleisure. Starring BAFTA-award winning actor Jack O’Connell and musician and Brit-award nominee Rina Sawayama, the ocean-set shoot has us craving the return of the sunshine and an Aperol Spritz-sipping fit to match. 
 
Shop now at COS

COS Button-Detailed Wool-Blend Waistcoat, $, available at COS

Kayali Launches Oudgasm Smoky Oud 07 EDP



Saying goodbye to winter is much easier when we have a new and refreshing scent in our arsenal. Thankfully, Kayali has us covered this month with the release of the fifth fragrance in their Oudgasm collection, Smoky Oud. Sitting in the earthy and woody fragrance family, oud is well known for its sticky and smoky scent. The latest perfume in the collection has been described as the “most intense” by founder Mona Kattan, with the scent combining spicy saffron with cedarwood and powdery white musk to create a warm and luxurious smelling perfume. Packed full of balsamic rum and aromatic geranium to round out the fiery fragrance, this is one for those who like their scents strong and sensual. 

Shop at
Huda Beauty and Harrods

Kayali Oudgasm Smoky Oud 07 Eau de Parfum Intense (50ml), $, available at Harrods

Poster Girl Launches SS24 Bags



Calling all y2k lovers: Internet-favourite label Poster Girl is giving the girlies a new slew of accessories this month. While the label might be best known for its spandex silhouettes and rhinestone mini dresses, the brand is bringing bags to the forefront this season with a range of new dazzling designs, available in a liquorice-like black and Barbie-pink colourways in a shiny patent finish. Featuring glistening diamanté buckles, the Deville shoulder bag includes metal horn hardware and heart eyelets. Meanwhile, the Whorne saddle bag includes a two-strap chain, and crystal cage finishing. 

Shop now at Poster Girl

Poster Girl Whorne Bag Patent Leather Harlot Pink, $, available at Poster Girl

Fresh Launches Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Ointment



While we might be putting winter behind us, that doesn’t mean that the remnants of cold weather haven’t been putting our skin through it. Enter: Fresh’s Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Ointment. For the lip balm-obsessed, this new treatment promises to elevate your hydration game to the next level, thanks to a sweet and simple ingredient: sugar. Aiming to repair dry and flaky lips, the humble ingredient has been scientifically proven to soothe uncomfortable areas with long-lasting hydration. The new ointment also includes plant-based emollients for extra moisture, alongside ceramide NP, an all-star ingredient that prevents dehydration and strengthens the skin’s natural barrier. Plus, with upcycled grapeseed oil, this lip saviour is one to have on your radar.

Shop now at Look Fantastic, Cult Beauty and Space NK

Fresh Advanced Therapy Lip Ointment, $, available at Look Fantastic

FARM Rio x Adidas Celebrates 10 Years 


You know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun, which is precisely how Farm Rio and Adidas are celebrating 10 years of collaboration this March. Unveiling a new capsule collection to mark the relationship milestone, the commemorative drop will continue to merge the Brazilian fashion brand’s bold and bright patterned pieces with the sportswear giant’s famous three-stripe designs. While the anniversary means there will be multiple collections released throughout the year, the first is composed of 11 pieces and pays homage to the sun’s warmth with a series of groovy prints in bold reds, yellows and oranges. From shirts to sports bras, this is one collection we have our eye on for the spring season ahead.

Shop now at FARM Rio

Farm Rio x Adidas Solar Kaleidoscope Pink Top, $, available at Farm Rio

Rathbornes’ Dublin Dusk Scented Luxury Candle



This candle isn’t new — in fact the Dublin-based company dates back to 1488! — but they are 1000% worth a shoutout. The weighty pieces look like stunning centrepieces, the scents are subtle but robust (my fave, Dublin Dusk, has notes of oud, cedar and ginger) and they last way longer than a typical Bachelor relationship. (P.S. That long burn time is partially due to a two-day pouring technique.) I’ll take 100, please.

Shop now at Rathbornes

Rathbornes Dublin Dusk Scented Luxury Candle, $, available at Rathbornes

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5 Spring 2024 Trends You Can Buy Secondhand

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All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission.

In the world of secondhand fashion, it’s sometimes tricky to find pieces that you’ll actually wear, rather than adding to a growing collection of eye-catching (but maybe impractical) finds. Between the endless bargains, charity shops, flea markets and secondhand shopping apps, building a circular wardrobe that works for you can be nothing short of overwhelming.

One way to improve your eye for secondhand finds is to figure out exactly what you’re looking for before you shop. Whether you’re seeking a versatile oversized blazer, or a spring dress for multiple occasions, setting loose goals can avoid distractions and impulse buys. As an avid thrifter myself, some of my most-worn secondhand clothes (including a red leather blazer and an oversized Uniqlo button-up) are the ones that required some thoughtful consideration. So, when I did a deep dive into spring/summer 2024 trends and set out to find secondhand pieces for the season ahead, the results were mighty fine indeed.

From 2010s-style bubble skirts inspired by Aknvas and Dion Lee to bold metallics à la Rabanne and Retrofête’s ready-to-wear chainmail, scroll below for five spring 2024 trends that you too can find on your next secondhand shopping trip.

Spring 2024 Trend: Corp-core 

This season, the girlies are embracing business casual — with an emphasis on the “casual”. From oversized blazers that are versatile enough for work and for nights out, to modern pencil skirts that scream “cool girl” rather than “politician”, spring 2024 is a perfect time to mix the business with the party. Inspired by designers like Givenchy, Luar and Peter Do on the spring/summer 2024 runways, this like-new Hawes and Curtis men’s blazer (which I found in a rummage sale for £8) was an incredible find that I’m already wearing at least once a week. 

Spring 2024 Trend: Ice Blue

Icey, glacial blue is one of spring 2024’s biggest colour trends. It’s not quite a statement hue, but has a bit more pop than a neutral, and can be a refreshing addition to most aesthetics. Not only was the trend spotted on recent fashion week street style, it also dominated spring/summer 2024 runways from brands like Fendi, Eckhaus Latta and Eudon Choi. I already know this light blue croc-textured handbag (originally from ASOS and bought for £5) is going to be a major player in my wardrobe this spring.

Spring 2024 Trend: Crochet Styling

Crochet is to spring what knits are to autumn, and the spring/summer 2024 runways were proof of that. Notable mentions were Holzweiler’s plethora of crochet dresses, skirts and cardigans, and Diotima’s artisan-crocheted dresses and trims, both perfect for a beach holiday or a laidback weekend. That said, even the slightest increase in temperature will have me pulling out my wide knits and crochet pieces! This thick, breathable vintage top — which I found at a flea market — is the perfect transitional piece… And bonus points for the subtle crab motif.

Spring 2024 Trend: Bubble Skirts

This year marks the return of several 2010s trends, including the playful bubble skirt. A perfect complement to the also-trending drop waist, voluminous hemlines were all over spring/summer 2024 runways, from Aknvas and Cinq à Sept’s poofy mini dresses to Dion Lee’s metallic bubble skirts and dresses. This secondhand Desigual dress has the subtlest of bubble skirts, which is great for easing into the trend. Catch me wearing this to spring brunches with my knee-high boots and a light jacket or jumper.

 Spring 2024 Trend: Metallics

The metallic trend had a shining moment on the spring/summer 2024 runways. Brands like Blumarine and Coperni showcased sculptural silver and gold gowns, while chainmail — also playing to this season’s sheer trend — took centre-stage from designers like Rabanne, Retrofête and Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini. As a textbook magpie, I was stoked to find this used & Other Stories mirror disc slip dress for sale on eBay. After researching various ways to style the piece (over jeans, with a slip, or simply with lingerie for a daring look) I knew it would be the type of show-stopping piece that will live in my wardrobe for decades. Finding it secondhand was just the icing on the cake.

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Love Lies Bleeding Will Leave You Gayer And Hornier Than Ever

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Enjoy! This interview with the director of Love Lies Bleeding, Rose Glass, is spoiler-free.

When I first heard of Love Lies Bleeding, I — like many other queer women — were ecstatic. Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian in a bodybuilding muscle mommy love story? Sign me up. But while I may have walked into the cinema as a bisexual woman, after watching Love Lies Bleeding, I’ve been left wondering if I’ve just been gay as hell this entire time.

If you’re out of the loop, the A24 distributed film features Kristen Stewart as Lou, a small-town, reclusive gym manager who falls hard for Jackie (the phenomenal Katy M. O’Brian), a bodybuilder with big, pulsating muscles who is preparing for a competition. They meet in a gym, immediately hit it off (and then some), before they get pulled deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

Set in the 1980s, the film is buzzy, fluorescent, and grimy, with equal parts blood and horror as much as there is fucking and toe-sucking. So much so that this critic, who prides herself in usually being quite eloquent in her assessment of films, could only walk away with two words to describe the film: “SO. HOT.” It’s not very eloquent, but damn, is it accurate.

“I was very keen on having queer women at the centre of this, but in the context of the film not really being about the fact that they’re queer.”

Rose Glass on queer representation in Love Lies Bleeding

In speaking with the film’s director Rose Glass (Saint Maud), the romance was just as important as any horror element. “It’s a romance, so obviously sex was going to be an important part of it,” Glass tells Refinery29. “You want it to be hot, I guess, but also in service of the story.”

“You get so used to quite odd things that you’re like, I guess we are filming these people having sex and that’s strange, but making films is strange,” she says.

During the film, the audience is gifted with sex scenes aplenty, all of which seem to dodge the queer sex clichés and feel sexy — and above all, real. There’s no panning away, leaving the audience to revel in their imagination. The sex is visceral and in your face, fuelled by desire, longing and power dynamics. Simply put, it’ll have everyone salivating, (dare I say, even if you’re not particularly into girls).

But while Glass does say that the sex scenes are integral to the film in order to constitute it as a romance, she’s quick to say that it shouldn’t be a novelty to watch two women fuck on the screen. “I was very keen on having queer women at the centre of this, but in the context of the film not really being about the fact that they’re queer,” Glass tells us. “[Their sexuality] is just one element of who they are.”

“There’s a lot of great films that explore coming out stories or people struggling and grappling with homophobia, but I guess I was just kind of keen to see something where it’s not about the fact that they’re gay or whatever,” she continues. “They’ve got other stuff going on, other shit to worry about.”

The shit in question involves Lou’s crime family, which happens to feature Ed Harris and Dave Franco, of all people. And while there’s plenty of lust and a smouldering Kristen Stewart, audiences are quickly reminded why Rose Glass is being considered by many as the new MVP of horror. All I will say is that there’s blood — and lots of it.

While watching Love Lies Bleeding, it’s impossible not to be intrinsically aware that this film showcases the talent that Kristen Stewart has had brewing inside her the entire time. While people who like women might spend a large portion of the film salivating, distracted by her mullet or the way she smokes cigarettes, if you thought Kristen Stewart was perfect for the role of an aloof, neurotic and standoffish gym owner, then you’d be right. Because the film was written with her in mind — before she’d even agreed to it.

Glass explains that she co-wrote the script with Weronika Tofilska and had one person in mind when it came to the character of Lou — Kristen Stewart. So much so, that the director says that she wrote “kind of all of it” with her in mind.

“The whole script was written with Kristen’s face floating around.”

Rose Glass On casting Kristen Stewart In Love Lies Bleeding

“You go through the mental exercise of who your fantasy cast would be, so Kristen was in there from the very beginning, though we obviously didn’t know if she would do it or not,” Glass divulges. “The whole script was written with Kristen’s face floating around. Every now and again, you’d try and blur it — what if she says no?! But I found this character very easy to imagine her in it.”

“I just love the idea of her playing a moody heartthrob who just smokes too much and has this aloof anti-hero, morally ambiguous kind of thing,” she laughs. “She’s a bit like a film noir anti-hero, but a modern version of it — haunted by her past, smokes too much, a delicious sort of neurosis just under the surface. And daddy issues, I guess… this kind of enigmatic, dark, mysterious, closed-off hardness, but not too far underneath that was this fizzy neurosis in a way that I find very appealing.”

At times, you wouldn’t be amiss to think that the film could have been Twilight in another universe, soaked in werewolf allegories and even lingering on a shot of Stewart eating an apple, perhaps a reference to the first Twilight book cover. But for Glass, she wanted to play on the understanding of Stewart herself as a persona.

“I was kind of playing on the understanding of her as Kristen Stewart, not so much as Bella Swan, because I’ve got to say, I’ve seen the first movie… but I sort of missed the Twilight extravaganza,” Glass laughs. “But Kristen Stewart as a persona, I think it’s definitely playing into that a little bit. The things people love or hate about her, I think are in full effect in this film.”

“Although with the Bella Swan stuff, there are some flashbacks in the film that we try to look as teenager-y as possible so we had to give her a wig and smooth her face,” Rose recalls. “And she came on set and she was like, “I look like Bella Swan“… so that was funny.”

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Since the film was announced, the internet has collectively gone into a meltdown over the idea of seeing ‘muscle mommy’ representation on the screen — that is, larger, muscular women. While Glass says that she didn’t previously know the term, she’s “embracing” it. I’ve learnt all these new phrases,” she laughs.

But for Glass, she says that she’s always been interested in the female body. “I guess I’ve always been interested in bodies and the relationship people have with them,” she says, adding that the juxtaposition between Stewart and O’Brian’s bodies is very intentional. “Jackie’s pushing herself to an extreme over the course of the film… whereas Lou’s just this string bean, a wisp of a person who’s just slowly killing herself.”

“I think in some way, Lou [Stewart] is sort of living vicariously through Jackie [O’Brian]. There’s sort of like this Frankenstein creating monster dynamic at play.”

Co-writing the script is a far cry from Glass’ debut feature Saint Maud, which she describes as a “very insular, stressful, not-very-happy kind of process.” But in writing the film in tandem with Tofilska, Glass found it to be a much more generous process.

“I came to Tofilska with a very initial, basic version of the story, which is just something about a bodybuilder who has an unravelling while she’s training for a competition,” she says. “Then we just sort of brainstormed… it’s a lot of twisty-turny kind of serial killer mapping out on a wall”

“It’s a lot of morphing and feeling it out,” Glass says. “Just like the process of body-building, I guess.”

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Love Lies Bleeding is in UK cinemas May 3rd.

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I Feel Romantic Love Even If My Body Won’t Produce The Hormones

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As twenty-one-year-old Toria Christie scrolled through TikTok, she started to cry. “I was so sad when I first saw [those videos],” she tells me. “Like, so sad.”

Christie doesn’t habitually cry at TikTok. But on this occasion, she was searching her lifelong condition, hypopituitarism — when the pituitary gland doesn’t produce enough hormones to be able to control other glands throughout the body — and she found some videos [of people purporting to be experts] that left her feeling angry and deeply upset, because they were suggesting that people with hypopituitarism “can’t feel romantic love”.

“A rare condition called hypopituitarism means that its sufferers are unable to feel romantic love,” reads one video as the user slumps forward in (seeming) despair. In another, the user is sharing “stone-cold facts about love”, and confidently asserts that “people who suffer with hypopituitarism are incapable of feeling romantic love at all.”

But this is (stone-cold) misinformation. Of course, TikTok is rampant with these health conspiracy theories, but in 2024 it’s not just TikTok; the same false messaging is wafting around X, Instagram and Facebook, and it’s damaging.

What is hypopituitarism?

Hypopituitarism is a rare condition in which the pituitary gland does not make enough of certain hormones,” says Dr Paul Jenkins, consultant endocrinologist at the London Endocrine Centre. “[It] can develop suddenly after brain injury, surgery or bleeding, or very slowly in response to a slowly growing tumour (almost always benign) of the pituitary gland.”

Betul Hatipoglu, MD is a professor of medicine at the CWRU School of Medicine, and previously a staff endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic. She describes the pituitary gland as a master gland, “as big as a chickpea, that sits between our eyebrows and is attached to our brain like a cherry and its stalk.

“It’s the chief of our hormonal glands — thyroid, adrenal, testis/ovaries — [and is] a centre for hormonal balance,” Hatipoglu continues. “When the pituitary gland is silenced, the end gland — the thyroid, let’s say — is perfectly healthy but does not receive any signals.”

Hatipoglu also explains: “Panhypopituitarism means ALL the hormones are affected, whereas hypopituitarism can be just one or two hormones affected. The adrenal gland might function, but the ovaries might not, for example.”

Christie was born with panhypopituitarism, and is also partially sighted as a result of her condition. “I can’t control any hormones in my body, so all of them have to be done by medication,” she says.

Treatment for hypopituitarism

Christie takes hydrocortisone in tablet form once a day to get cortisol into her body. She takes a growth hormone injection every day, too, and, if anything goes wrong — an injury, exam stress at uni, a bereavement — Christie has to take medication to help her body cope.

Olivia*, 30, was diagnosed with hypopituitarism at age 15, after having emergency surgery to remove a pituitary tumour which slightly compromised her pituitary gland. Like Christie, Olivia now takes daily medication to supplement the hormones her body can no longer produce on its own, and like Christie, will continue to do so for the rest of her life.

There is an emotional impact — Christie tells me about her perpetual health anxiety and a lifelong suspicion that she’ll die young, while Olivia talks about the constant exhaustion of monitoring everything that happens with her body (a headache, for instance) and wondering whether it’s caused by her condition or normal life — but neither Christie nor Olivia have any issues when it comes to feeling romantic love, or love of any kind.

“I love so many people,” says Christie. “I love my mum, I love my sister. I feel love, and I give love to people, and I do that through my head [and] my heart.” Christie has also dated, and has had two boyfriends — “I don’t think the way I’ve dated is out of the ordinary,” she says.

Misinformation about hypopituitarism on social media

Olivia was appalled when I asked her about the TikTok videos that made Christie cry. “I had no idea this kind of misinformation about hypopituitarism existed,” she says. “Honestly, I’m shocked. I don’t really understand how anyone could think that, logically?”

28-year-old Emily* was diagnosed with a pituitary tumour at age 23 and then with hypopituitarism at age 25 — “with a partial adrenal insufficiency, hypothyroidism [an underactive thyroid], no oestrogen, and no growth hormone.” Like Olivia, Emily was shocked by the misinformation that people with her condition “can’t feel romantic love”.

“[I’m] not really sure where the idea has come from,” Emily says, explaining that she’s never heard about it before and has been in a loving relationship for over three years. “I actually met my partner a couple of weeks after being diagnosed and he has been incredibly understanding.” She tells me that nothing really changes — for her, at least — when it comes to living with hypopituitarism, as “all missing hormones are replaced through the medication.”

“There is no clear evidence or scientific proof that patients with treated hypopituitarism ‘can’t feel love’,” agrees Jenkins. He does point out that untreated low levels of luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) leading to low sex-hormone levels (testosterone and/or oestrogen) can cause low sex drive; and Hatipoglu, too, acknowledges that “the pituitary hypothalamic area is involved in many emotional and sexual pleasure contexts. If there are too many invasive tumours or surgical procedures, some of these patients can develop some emotional or sexual dysfunction that could be treated.”

But that’s not love — far from it. “The love capacity overall is a higher brain function and, indeed, is not affected; the capacity to feel love or fall in love or love another, or nature, or one’s job, et cetera, has not been affected in my observation or experience at all,” says Hatipoglu. And if complications in the bedroom are where the idea that people with hypopituitarism “can’t feel romantic love” stems from — well, we shouldn’t be reducing the vast, soaring phenomena known as “love” purely down to sexual activity, or equating possible sexual complications with a total inability to feel romantic love.

Plus, Jenkins adds: “The vast majority of individuals with this condition are under the care of experienced endocrinologists and are being prescribed appropriate doses of their deficient hormones to restore their circulating levels back to within the normal range and as such, any physical or emotional symptoms that they might previously have been suffering should be resolved.

“The medical community needs to emphasise that there is no evidence supporting the misconception such as ‘can’t feel love’ and instead [needs] to reinforce the message that hypopituitarism is a relatively straightforward condition to treat, albeit often requiring lifelong medications,” Jenkins concludes. Emily’s experience is a prime example of this: “I actually don’t think of my health condition too deeply now that everything has settled down in the last year,” she says. “I feel very happy and settled in my life with work, family and friends.”

Even if we’re not part of the medical community, we can all do our part to keep countering this misinformation when we see it; because misinformation is what it is.

Take Olivia’s experience, for example. “I lead a life very full of love,” says Olivia. “When I love, I love hard, faithfully and unabashedly. I feel the whole spectrum of love: from heartbreak to the kind of love where your heart feels like it soars. I’m very much a ‘heart on my sleeve’ kind [of] gal — and if you knew me but not my medical condition, I don’t think anyone would formulate the opinion [that] I can’t feel love.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities. 

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The Ordinary’s New Serum Is Pretty Special; Take It From A Serious Retinoid Fan

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My bathroom cabinet is something of a graveyard for half-used serums. Vitamin C? I don’t get on with it. Hyaluronic acid? It’s in most skincare products anyway. But retinal is something I’ll rarely — if ever — leave on the shelf. 

Not to be confused with retinol, retinal is revered among dermatologists for its ability to speed up skin cell turnover. As such, it unclogs pores, minimises hyperpigmentation, kickstarts collagen production and smooths out skin texture. Retinal is an all-rounder, so it makes perfect sense that it happens to be the star component in The Ordinary’s latest skincare product.

Enter: Retinal 0.2% Emulsion, £15.20.

What is retinal and how is it different from retinol?

Without taking you back to chemistry class, retinal comes under the retinoid umbrella — essentially, skincare ingredients which are derived from vitamin A. Unless you’re a serious skincare enthusiast, you might find the world of retinoids confusing, and I don’t blame you. To make things easier, I imagine the retinoid family as a three-tiered pyramid: At the bottom, you’ll find retinyl palmitate or retinyl esters, which are the weakest form of retinoid found in skincare products. In the middle you have retinol, which is stronger and arguably the most popular version on the market. Retinal, also referred to as retinaldehyde, sits above that, making it a more potent ingredient than the rest. As such, it’s a lot more efficient than traditional forms of retinol; experts say that it works at least 11 times faster. It’s no wonder, then, that The Ordinary is tapping into its value. 

The percentage of retinal in this serum is 0.2%, and for a retinoid, it’s quite a high concentration. The star ingredient is suspended in an “emulsion” that boasts a lightweight, gel-cream texture that sinks into the skin quickly. It also features synthetic oat analogues: a component found inside (you guessed it) the humble breakfast oat. But don’t underestimate it. According to the brand, oat is a substantially moisturising ingredient that helps to mitigate the discomfort and dryness that can occur when using retinoid serums. Interestingly, countless brands are beginning to harness the power of oats in soothing skincare like Aveeno, The Inkey List and Cetraben.

Is The Ordinary’s Retinal 0.2% serum any good?

Now that the science out of the way, I’ve tried countless retinal serums over the years but none of them has swayed me enough to make a repurchase until now. For transparency, last year I used tretinoin (a prescription retinoid, which is higher in strength compared to retinal) to minimise breakouts. The cream took lots of getting used to and my skin wasn’t always happy; it often became sore, dry and flaky. I’m breaking up with prescription skincare for the time being, but The Ordinary’s Retinal 0.2% Emulsion sounded like a great and slightly more gentle over-the-counter alternative. Plus, I didn’t need to book an appointment with a dermatologist to obtain it.

Since this serum landed on my desk, I’ve been using it three times a week in the evening. Overall, my nighttime routine consists of a double cleanse using The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser to remove all traces of makeup and sunscreen, followed by the retinal serum, then 30 minutes later, a generous layer of The Inkey List Bio-Active Ceramide Plumping Moisturiser. I’m so impressed by the results; the tiny under-the-skin bumps that I could feel when washing my face have all but disappeared and my skin is much smoother to the touch. I have nothing against injectables having had Botox in the past, but thanks to this serum (combined with gransil blur, an ingredient in the above Inkey List moisturiser), I don’t think about them; both are working overtime to minimise my faint forehead lines. 

I’ve noticed the most difference in my skin tone. In my experience, it usually takes months for the red skin staining left behind by spots to fade entirely, but this is certainly speeding things up. Retinal is especially useful for those with acne-prone skin, as aesthetician Alicia Lartey — a huge advocate for the ingredient — recently told R29. “The reason some people would say retinal is better for acne-prone skin [in comparison to retinol] is because it has a property that allows it to be antimicrobial and kill bacteria,” said Lartey. “As we know, bacteria is a component that affects acne-prone skin. Killing this bacteria can be a way to reduce acne.”

Don’t just take my word for it. Refinery29’s senior writer Karina Hoshikawa has also been using the serum and is equally as excited by it: “I’ve been using prescription and OTC retinols, retinoids, and retinals since my early 20s, so I consider myself pretty well-versed in the ingredient and how my skin tolerates it,” says Hoshikawa. “I tend to be oily and acne-prone, so I love retinols for the increased cell turnover and texture- and tone-improving properties. I’ve jokingly referred to myself as having ‘rhino skin’ and have tried several of The Ordinary’s retinoids — one favourite being the Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. I got to test a very early sample of the Retinal 0.2% Emulsion during a trip to The Ordinary’s Toronto HQ, and it’s been a game changer in my nighttime routine.”

Hoshikawa started using this every other night for a week before working up to nightly application. “I didn’t personally experience any redness or flaking,” she says. “I loved the lightweight yet creamy texture, which my skin drank up readily before going in with my moisturiser. I’m all about products that do what they say, and I definitely noticed less texture after about three weeks of consistent use. The bright yellow colour can take some getting used to, but this is totally natural and isn’t uncommon if you’ve tried other retinal serums. All in all, The Ordinary has set the bar high; it’s not just a great retinal at its price point, but a great retinal period. There, I said it!”

Aside from a handful of cosseting ingredients to prevent irritation, it’s the price point that makes this product unique. Retinoids are typically expensive, not to mention unstable, so they can lose potency when exposed to air. It’s why plenty of retinal serums are housed in air-tight packaging, though this often drives the price up even further. This bottle is airtight like many others on the market, but it doesn’t come with an eye-watering price tag. At £15.20, it’s currently one of the cheapest products in my skincare routine but quite easily the most effective. Just don’t let the virtually neon yellow colour put you off. Retinoids are yellow in their purest form and seeing as retinal is a pretty forceful version, the shade checks out. In my experience, it doesn’t stain the skin nor does it ruin pyjamas or white bedding. 

Who is The Ordinary’s Retinal 0.2% Emulsion for?

Fans of The Ordinary will know that this isn’t its first foray into the world of retinoids. Its Granactive Retinoid 2% In Emulsion is a favourite among skincare obsessives and experts alike, while the Retinol 1% in Squalane is TikTok viral for a reason. According to the brand, its new Retinal 0.2% is best suited to seasoned retinoid users looking to step up their skincare game. In other words, if you aren’t seeing good results from your current retinol serum, this makes for a swift upgrade. 

Are there any side effects of retinal?

Like all retinal serums, this is powerful, so regardless of whether you’ve used retinoids before, the advice is to go slow. The brand recommends applying it once a week at first — always in the evening — then, if your skin seems to be tolerating it well, you might like to build up to twice-weekly use with a few days in between. If you’re a retinal regular like me, you might be able to get away with using it more frequently, like every other day. Don’t ignore your skin, though. If it’s becoming red, feels uncomfortable or you’re peeling lots (all common side effects of using high strength retinoids) stop or scale back.

Considering that retinoids — all of them — make skin sensitive to sunlight, it’s important to wear a high-factor, broad-spectrum sunscreen during the day. I love Ultra Violette Fave Fluid SPF 50+ Skinscreen, £37, but if you’d rather spend less, try Bondi Sands Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+ Fragrance Free, £8.99, or Garnier Ambre Solaire Super UV Anti Dark Spots & Anti Pollution Face Fluid SPF 50+, £13.

Refinery29 called it recently: Retinal is about to explode — and this affordable serum is a great place to start if you want to get ahead of the curve. You can purchase it directly from The Ordinary’s website for £15.20.

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Young Women Are Quietly Living With Debt And Are Looking For Answers

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“I’m not a stupid person,” says Hannah (who doesn’t want to share her surname), 25, from Buckinghamshire, UK, who is in the process of clearing £6,500 debt, amassed over three years — currently, she has about £2,000 left to pay off. She feels that if she can get into debt, as someone that works full time and doesn’t have any dependents, anyone can make the same choices and find themselves in her shoes. “I have two credit cards, a consolidation loan [one new loan to pay off several existing debts], and PayPal credit. It’s all consumer debt, like clothes, makeup and days out. I don’t have a car, a house or a child, so I feel like there’s nothing to show for it.”

Hannah isn’t alone. This month, Citizens Advice shared that the number of young people seeking financial advice in the UK has doubled since 2019. In 2023, the charity supported 66,000 people under 25, and 20% of these people were seeking advice around debt. Financial inexperience among Gen Z is ruining credit scores and leaving them owing thousands before they’ve even had a chance to build up savings. Rosi Avis, who’s based in the Manchester, UK branch of Citizens Advice, has seen a “surge” in young people across the country coming forward for guidance. “Young people are really feeling the pinch, and sometimes they don’t know where to turn,” Avis says.

Young people can find themselves turning to credit cards, especially in times of high inflation and cost of living, to help finance their lives. Hannah got a credit card in the first place as she “wanted some extra money” and thought it would help her build up good credit. “I didn’t really think about the implications. I thought I’d pay the minimum back, but then you’re paying that minimum back for years,” she says. “It probably sounds silly and naive, but I’m not somebody who buys expensive things like designer items, so it was easy to lose track of.” After discussing the possibility of having children with her partner and saving for a home, she decided it was time to fix her financial situation, and was horrified by how much she owed altogether. “I buried my head in the sand and pretended that it wasn’t there. When I sat down with my partner and totalled the money, honestly, it was the most gut-wrenching feeling.” Hannah felt embarrassed, which is the most common reason young people don’t speak about money with confidence, as found by Citizens Advice. She also struggled with guilt and feeling anxious. “I can’t imagine how I’m going to feel when that final payment is made,” she adds.

I wonder how appropriate it is sending a letter to an 18-year-old offering such high credit limits.

To help with the repayments, Hannah was able to turn to her parents who loaned her £2,000 without interest, to pay off the debt with the highest interest rates first. She is still paying her parents back, and knows she’s “fortunate” they were able to step in — this won’t be an option for everyone. In terms of where else she’s gone for support, TikTok has been a source of comfort. A large community of young women on the app are sharing their “debt free journey”, a term that has over 78.5k posts. Hannah found hearing from real people helpful. “Seeing young people in a similar situation to what I’m in and how they spoke about different methods of conquering debt, made me feel like ‘Okay cool, these people seem to know what they’re doing so maybe I’ll tackle it that way too.’ I came across the snowball method [where you pay off small debts to build up momentum] and the avalanche method [paying off things with the highest interest first].” 

If there’s a generational willingness among Gen Z to be more open about previously taboo subjects, TikTok appears to be the avenue in which to broadcast that. Angela Szot, 31, from Atlanta, Georgia, is one of these TikTokkers. She began getting into debt in her mid 20s due to two car loans (one car “died”, and she had to replace it), credit card debt and medical debt after a fall. So far, she’s paid £25.2k off in 14 months, and has £5k left. “I don’t think money education exists for young people unless they themselves are looking for it, which is so scary,” she tells Refinery29. “I’m 31 and just learned about interest a year ago. I’m so proud of myself for how much I’ve accomplished this year by myself, but I have so few people in my life that anytime I would tell someone about a new accomplishment, I wasn’t getting much of a reaction. That’s when I decided to start posting videos.” For someone like Hannah, finding people like Szot online can be vital. Pearl Akintola, consumer finance expert at Experian, believes TikTok has a rightful place in helping people learn budgeting tips and “normalise the conversation” around debt, but that people must “always double check information users have posted, and to remember that what works for one person won’t work for everyone — money management has to be tailored to your own circumstances.” 

@vomitgrocery Replying to @Ana Hartnett Reichardt Author I’m just a girl😫😩 #debtpayoff #debtpayoffjourney #justagirl #creditcarddebt #justagirlintheworld #mymethod ♬ original sound – Angela Szot

Credit cards aren’t all bad news. Not having one can limit the possibility of making big financial decisions in the future, such as getting a mortgage. Priya Malani, financial expert, previously told Refinery29: “Credit really boils down to trust. When you charge something on a credit card, you are making an arrangement that allows you to have something now but pay for it later. When you pay off your balance in full and on time, you prove you are trustworthy as a borrower. […] Your credit card is not your emergency fund. Your emergency fund is your emergency fund, so if you make sure to have one, you’re not dependent on credit.” Essentially, only get a credit card if you know you’re in a position to pay off each month what you’ve spent to avoid accumulating interest, and accidentally getting into debt. Research from debit card company Build My Credit Score found 57% of the 18 to 34 year olds polled were nervous about taking out more credit given the cost of living crisis, and 51% actively don’t want a credit card despite wanting to better their credit score. Being realistic about your finances is key when it comes to credit cards.

While some people in their 20s are scared of getting a credit card as that research suggests, others are using them without caution — usually due to a lack of education around money management. “For many young people, receiving their first overdraft or credit card can be exciting as it provides access to funds that weren’t previously available to them,” Akintola says. “For those who have just moved away from home and are experiencing newfound financial freedom, it can be difficult for them to know how to manage money and borrow well.” Courtney (who doesn’t want to share her surname), 31, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, knows this all too well. She now raises awareness with debt charity StepChange, after recovering from debt totalling £8,000 which added up over three years from when she got her first credit card aged 18. At the time, she was “ashamed and didn’t tell anybody”. Now debt-free, she looks back and sees how “social pressure” contributed to her losing track of her expenses. “I was working on minimum wage and was constantly trying to keep up with my friends, and I hadn’t mentally prepared for the cost of moving out of my family home. Nothing really prepares you for growing up and having to manage your own finances all of a sudden. I take responsibility for the debt that I got into, but there needs to be more regulation around banks and who they offer credit to. I wonder how appropriate it is sending a letter to an 18-year-old offering such high credit limits.”

The important thing to remember is that it is possible to get out of debt. Akintola recommends creating a monthly budget, subtracting your necessary expenses to see what you’re left with, then to prioritise paying back debt with the highest interest rates. “When possible, try to make extra payments towards your debt. Even if it’s a small addition, it could help you reduce the overall amount faster,” she says. Consider debt consolidation too, she adds, which can make it easier to keep track of the debts in one place if you have several. Also, seek professional support from free debt advice services, as they can help you create a debt repayment plan. The first thing to do is to release yourself of the shame people in debt often feel and talk to someone you trust.

If you need support with any of the topics mentioned in this article, visit Citizens Advice (UK), StepChange (UK), or Debt.org (US).

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Aries Season Is Here To Give You The Boost You Need To Move Forward

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Aries Season is an exciting time, bringing a fresh start and an opportunity for us to fully embrace our passions. The sun will enter Aries on 20th March at 3:06 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time and stay there until 19th April at 2 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time, bringing the spring equinox and the astrological new year along with its solar ingress. After a long, frigid winter, the vibrant energy of spring is much needed to spice up our lives. It’s a time of rebirth, and Aries Season is giving us the boost we need to move forward and start a new path in our lives.

The planet Mars governs over Aries, a zodiac sign known for its impulsive, action-oriented and fierce nature. Aries is also associated with being super sensual, argumentative and savage. As we move forward in the upcoming month, it’s a time for Aries to assert their feelings and make their presence known. This period sets the momentum for the cosmic year ahead.

Aries is recognised for its fierce, competitive spirit and unyielding desire to come out on top in every aspect of life. If you’re in search of someone who will stick with you through the good times and the bad, you can rely on this zodiac sign to be there for you through thick and thin. During Aries Season, we strive for nothing less than perfection, and we expect the same level of commitment from those around us. We refuse to settle for mediocrity, and we make a conscious effort to cultivate meaningful relationships that are built on mutual respect and effort.

The cardinal and fiery vibe of the ram doesn’t want us to sit still and wait for things to happen, so we are going to be trying to make connections with others, manifest our desires, and go after whatever we want to add to our lives. It’s a time in which we won’t be afraid to be selfish and put ourselves first — which we all should do more of, as long as we’re not hurting anyone else — and use the fiery energy to go for the gold in our lives.

What’s unique about this Aries Season is that it will be a combination of different energies. On 19th March, the sun will enter Aries. Mars, the planetary ruler of Aries, enters Pisces, which will encourage us to take movement through our fantasies and emotions. Our approach towards situations and others will be dreamy and non-confrontational. 

25th March’s lunar eclipse in Libra will prompt us to decide who and what we are most committed to. We will be letting go of certain partnerships and bringing in new ones, while letting go of the past and moving into a renewed state of being. 

From 1st to 25th April, Mercury will start spinning backward in Aries, making this spunky retrograde take up the bulk of Aries Season. During this time, communication may become difficult, as we’ll be expressing ourselves from a heated place. It’s essential to take time to understand what we want to say and what others are telling us before reacting. Words can become salty, travel will be frustrating and the overall momentum is going to be slower. Be mindful and calm in expressing oneself.  

On 5th April, Venus enters Aries, the Planet of Love and Romance. During this time, there will be a strong desire to work towards making relationships advance and deepen quickly. The influence of Venus in Aries likes to rush matters and partnerships. Get to know your counterpart before jumping into a commitment. Don’t rush love. 

The upcoming great American total solar eclipse on 8th April is expected to create an intense buzz amongst us Earthlings, pushing us out of our comfort zone and encouraging significant changes. This eclipse may bring unexpected and impulsive endings to situations, leading to a whole new philosophy and way of being. As Mercury will be retrograde during the solar eclipse, it may take some time to comprehend or observe its effects. It is crucial to concentrate on our own necessities while making decisions and to avoid reacting to people when drama is brought to the forefront of our connections.

Each year brings a unique set of energies. This time around, Aries Season begins with a gentle melody and gradually transforms into a power ballad. To avoid unwanted occurrences, it is critical to stay in our lanes and focus on our own path.

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Your Horoscope This Week: March 10 To 16

Pisces Season Is Here

Your March Horoscope Is Here

Your Horoscope This Week: 17th To 23rd March

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ILLUSTRATED BY SUCHET INUTHAI.

Pisces Season comes to an end on the 20th and gives way to the astrological new year once the sun enters Aries at 3:06 a.m. GMT. The transition from Pisces Season to Aries Season will feel like going from a thunderstorm to a super-sunny parade, so give yourself time to adjust to the sudden shift from water to fire energy. The astro new year is an opportune time to set intentions for the next 12 months, with the spirit of confidence and passion at the forefront of our collective consciousness. 

With Venus, the Planet of Love, currently in Pisces, and Mars entering Pisces on the 22nd, we’ll still be feeling sensitive, dreamy, and somewhat nostalgic this week, particularly since we’re now in Mercury retrograde’s pre-shadow period (Mercury will shift retrograde in Aries on 1st April). It’s best to think twice before we make major moves. 

We should also keep in mind that the first eclipse of 2024 will strike on the 25th — a lunar eclipse full moon in Libra. This week will foreshadow some of that eclipse energy, so if you find yourself needing more time to recalibrate your emotions, tend to that. 

Read your horoscopes for your Sun and Rising signs for the most in-depth forecast.

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Aries Sun & Rising:

Happy Aries Season! The sun enters your sign at 3:06 a.m. GMT on the 20th, marking the start of the astro new year and a new solar return in your life. With eclipse season right around the corner, you can tell that it’s time to revolutionise yourself from the inside out, particularly since the north node, symbol of higher destiny, is currently in your sign until 2025. The bigger you allow yourself to dream, the more your life expands. 

Mercury is currently travelling through your sign for the next two months and preparing to shift retrograde on 1st April, so spend this week tying up loose ends and preparing for the changes that eclipse season will bring into your life. The more you simplify your lifestyle and streamline your priorities, the more at ease you’ll feel as you flow through your birthday season, so map out your game plan, and celebrate your evolution. 

Taurus Sun & Rising:

Taurus, now that your planetary ruler Venus is in Pisces, you’re feeling more sentimental, sensual and magnetic. The sun’s entrance into Aries on the 19th highlights your sector of solitude and healing, which could lead to you feeling a contrast between your more social side and your deeply introverted side. We’re approaching the lunar eclipse in Libra next week, so you’d benefit from balancing your needs rather than veering toward extremes. 

On the 22nd, Mars joins Venus and enters Pisces, and this six-week transit encourages you to soften your approach to friendship and social connection. Instead of assuming that everyone’s out to get you, what would it look like for you to visualise the best case scenario — especially since we’re still feeling the influence of last week’s Pisces new moon? Your mission with Venus and Mars in Pisces is to dream beyond your usual limitations. 

Gemini Sun & Rising:

Gemini, we’re in the pre-shadow period of Mercury retrograde, which means you may find yourself slowing down when it comes to social engagements or outings. Mars’ continued presence in Aquarius up until the 22nd is piquing your intellectual curiosity, which is leading to you surrounding yourself with innovative and interesting beings, but in a selective way. Once Mars enters Pisces on the 22nd for a six-week stay, you’ll suddenly feel more sentimental and whimsical, allowing you to go with the flow. 

Jupiter, the Planet of Luck, is spending its final two months in Taurus, which activates your sector of spirituality, healing, and closure. As we approach eclipse season, you’re being asked to tap into the energy of Venus’ current stay in Pisces (especially since next week’s Libra lunar eclipse is ruled by Venus). Make it your mission to practice the art of vulnerability, Gemini. You don’t have to mask your emotions using humour. Let them out. 

Cancer Sun & Rising:

Cancer, enjoy this midpoint between the Pisces new moon and the lunar eclipse in Libra, because life’s getting pretty trippy for you, moon child. As the week begins, we’re rounding out the final days of Pisces Season, and this energy allows you to be more whimsical, flirtatious and free. Once Aries Season strikes on the 19th, a part of you may rebel against some of the expectations placed on you societally and personally. You’re in the mood to break free and do your own thing — just make sure you’re doing it because it’s truly fulfilling you. 

With Mars entering your fellow water sign of Pisces on the 22nd, you’ll feel like you’re experiencing the sequel to Pisces Season — your intuitive abilities will be through the roof, and your desires for physical touch and intimacy will also skyrocket. Avoid falling into the traps of passive-aggressive behaviour or letting your moodiness cause you to snap at others when really all you want are cuddles and recognition. Having Venus and Mars both in Pisces for several weeks will help you self-reflect, journal, cry and heal. 

Leo Sun & Rising:

The final days of Pisces Season will feel emotionally intense for you, Leo, as your sector of depth, merging and intimacy is activated by the sun, Venus and Neptune all in Pisces at the same time. Then on the 19th, the astro new year begins with the sun’s transit into Aries for the next four weeks. You’ll feel alive and activated with the sun travelling through a fellow fire sign, making this a great time to shoot your shot at work or in your social or love life, as no planets are currently retrograde. 

Mercury, the Planet of Communication, is in its pre-shadow period of the retrograde, however. Your sector of travel, media and philosophy is activated by the sun, Mercury and Chiron all in Aries, so avoid using travel or entrepreneurial ventures as a form of escapism. Bravely face the realities of your life without looking for the next best thing. 

Virgo Sun & Rising:

Virgo, this week you’ll be able to tell that your planetary ruler Mercury is getting closer to its retrograde period. You won’t be feeling as intellectually stimulated as usual during the final days of Pisces Season — you’ll rather be in a daydreamy and nostalgic mood. Don’t be surprised if people from your past start hitting you up, either in real life or in your dream life. Keep a dream journal by your bed, especially starting the 22nd, once Mars joins Venus and enters Pisces for a six-week stay. 

Aries Season helps you deepen and redefine your relationship with wealth, both materially and spiritually. Once the astro new year begins on the 19th, you’ll start to evaluate moments when you had previously allowed yourself to play small or remain in second place rather than spreading your wings and soaring. Use Aries Season to find an abundance mentor, and to read up on what it means to create a legacy that feels fulfilling and ever-expansive. Step by step, you’re making that your reality. 

Libra Sun & Rising:

Libra, the final days of Pisces Season are ideal for being more compassionate to yourself and your body, especially if you’ve been meaning to start or stick to a new health or wellness routine, but you may have been a bit all over the place. Pisces energy can be whimsical and unrestrained, and part of your lessons these past four weeks was to learn how to trust your body’s intuitive awareness rather than trying to stick to a certain structure or routine. Mars will enter Pisces on the 22nd and will continue to teach you that lesson over the course of the next six weeks. 

Once the sun enters your opposite sign of Aries on the 19th, you may be drawn to working out, creating art or making love with a partner who sees and stimulates you, in all senses of the word. We’re also just a few days away from the lunar eclipse full moon in your sign, which means that you’re in a period of dropping the dead weight and purging non-essentials from your life. Stay hydrated and well-rested this week, Libra. 

Scorpio Sun & Rising:

Scorpio, as Pisces Season comes to an end, you’re reflecting on moments when you were caught up in illusions on a personal, creative and romantic level, as well as moments when being “delusional” actually worked out in your favour. With Venus currently in Pisces, you’re encouraged to let your dreams and fantasies take the lead, however Jupiter’s final stretch in Taurus is also reminding you of the importance of staying grounded amid all of these exciting possibilities. 

Aries Season starts on the 19th, and since both you and Aries are ruled by Mars you’re likely to feel more Aries-like these next four weeks: bold, bright and beautiful. When your planetary ruler Mars enters Pisces on the 22nd, you may experience a sharp contrast in energy, as this watery transit will bring out your more sensitive yet playful side, making it harder for you to stay focused on one fixed project for a long period of time. The key is to tap into the upcoming Libra lunar eclipse and cultivate the art of balance. 

Sagittarius Sun & Rising:

Sag, the final stretch of Pisces Season helps you slow your roll, meditate and be one with nature as we approach the start of the astro new year. Then on the 19th the sun shifts out of Pisces and enters Aries for the next four weeks, amping up your self confidence and encouraging you to go for the gold, particularly since we currently have no planets retrograde until 1st April. Now is not the time to succumb to procrastination. 

With Mars, the Planet of Action, entering Pisces on the 22nd for a six-week stay, your sector of home and roots is activated, so your focus will be on home renovation, potential relocations, decor, downsizing or upsizing, welcoming a new baby or plant, and allowing yourself to redefine what home and family means to you altogether. Take your time as you process these questions and make room for sudden realisations, Sagittarius. 

Capricorn Sun & Rising:

Capricorn, this week both Venus and Mars will be in Pisces, in your sector of communication and creativity. This helps boost your imaginative abilities, encouraging you to create art for the sake of it. Your inner child has been encouraging you to break free from self-imposed ways of looking at the world, and truly view the world as your playground. The final few days of Pisces Season are best used in the spirit of exploration and innovation rather than being too rigidly stuck in the same old routine. 

Once Aries Season starts on the 19th, your sector of roots and the home is activated, encouraging you to boss up in your family sector and set necessary boundaries with family members or roommates who may not know what your non-negotiables are. We’re just a few days away from the lunar eclipse in Libra, meaning now is the time to get rid of habits and lifestyle patterns that do you more harm than good. 

Aquarius Sun & Rising:

Aquarius, Pisces Season has been teaching you a lot about the art of being present and more mindful in your daily actions. The final stretch of the sun’s transit in Pisces will feel like a blend of peace and restlessness, as Mercury’s current presence in Aries is leading to your mind being hyperactive and filled with thrilling new plans and visions for the upcoming months and years. Meanwhile, Mars’ entrance into Pisces on the 22nd is also reminding you of the power of rest, play and surrendering to the now moment without projecting yourself into an ideal yet unknown future. 

Aries Season begins on the 19th, and the astro new year is your invitation to redefine yourself, name your needs in your relationship with yourself and with others, and let go of preconceived notions about what’s possible for yourself and your legacy. As we approach next week’s lunar eclipse in your fellow air sign of Libra, you may decide to revamp the way you look, the way you express yourself, and the way you spend your time and energy. Boundaries are your friend. 

Pisces Sun & Rising:

The energy from the new moon in your sign is still going strong this week, Pisces, making it an ideal time to set your new moon intentions (particularly before 20th March) if you haven’t yet done so. Mars, the Planet of Action, enters your sign on the 22nd and remains there for a six-week stay. This makes you one of the cosmic favourites, even if technically ends on the 20th at 3:05 a.m. GMT this year. Mars in Aries will magnetise your desires and thoughts to you, so it’s essential that you surround yourself with high-vibrational people, as you’ll be quite sensitive to their energy. 

The start of the astro new year serves as a financial rebirth or breakthrough for you, Pisces. Your sector of money and security is activated by Aries Season, and with Mercury, the Planet of Communication, also in Aries for the next two months, your money making abilities will be through the roof. The key is for you to work smarter, rather than harder. Spend time this week creating a budget for Q2 and finding creative ways to ensure that you remain disciplined and committed to growing your nest egg. 

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