Instead of completing his true aim – drawing people to religion – the author, Episcopalian priest and one-time marine, has racked up followers on social media.
The 43-year-old from Austin, Texas, didn’t mean to become the online sensation he is, but he doesn’t mind the attention.
Now he regularly updates his accounts, creating a brilliant mash-up of parody, satire and plain old silly videos for his followers.
David deploys what he calls ‘churchy’ humour and is fluent in internet lingo. In fact, his TikTok bio reads: ‘VSCO Girl for Jesus. Jesus Stan account’.
David, who was previously deployed in Iraq, told Metro.co.uk: ‘The Jesus Stan account language is just how people talk about celebrities these days and I’ve dedicated my life to following Jesus, so I do stan.
‘Youth language shifts so fast so I’ll probably have to change that in a week or so.’
The videos began as part of a personal assignment to attract a wider audience for his church in the Diocese of Texas, Pflugerville.
David was already using Instagram videos with that purpose and soon shifted to the format of TikTok.
He added: ‘I got on the app and saw a lot of pastors and Christians as well as people of other faiths, so I thought, why not me?
‘I don’t spend a lot of time making the videos. The outfit change one took the longest.’
In that video, captioned with ‘outfits I’m afraid to wear (out of the sacristy)’, he is seen changing between church vestments with his signature infectious smile.
David says he is becoming internet savvy by consuming lots of content.
‘I think each social media platform has its own language and I try to speak the language of the people I’m ministering too. This is true in my context in Pflugerville and on TikTok.’
Have we mentioned we stan this legend?
His methods are so much better than those people using megaphones outside train stations asking you to remember Jesus.
Justin Reid, 36, and Victoria Hemenes, 31, are the definition of a ride or die couple.
They tied the knot with a biker-themed wedding despite totalling their Harley Davidson and sustaining serious injuries just weeks earlier.
Justin and Victoria collided with a deer three weeks before they planned on riding a motorbike up the aisle.
The smash left Justin with a dislocated elbow and in need of a painful skin graft while Victoria suffered whiplash, concussion and needed eight stitches in her knee.
Despite their injuries, the couple was determined to tie the knot.
Justin, of South Lake Tahoe, California, USA, said: ‘Even if we had to be carried down the aisle on gurneys, we were going to have our wedding.’
The newlyweds, who run a property maintenance company together, insisted on keeping their big day biker-themed even though they counted themselves lucky to be alive after the crash.
Justin, dad of Joscelyn, 14, and Ezekiel, 11, from a previous relationship, and Victoria, mom of Isabella, 14, Gabriella, 12, Kailani, nine, and Khaos, four, from a previous relationship, met through mutual friends in March 2017.
Justin popped the question in October 2018 and the pair began planning their biker-themed wedding.
Justin said: ‘Victoria had been into bikes before but I have been a bike enthusiast for quite a few years now.
‘When we decided to get married, I knew I wanted a biker-themed wedding.
‘We didn’t want a normal wedding. We wanted a weekend-long festival.
‘The original idea was to have my motorcycle parked in the aisle and have the groomsmen and bridesmaids ride their bikes up to us.’
Three weeks before their big day, on 27 July, the couple and a group of friends rode to the camping ground they had hired for their big day in Silver Fork Ranch, Kyburz, California.
After enjoying the area the group rode home on a scenic route, but as Victoria and Justin turned round a bend into Hope Valley at 60mph, they rode head-on to a deer.
‘It was a beautiful ride and there was an awesome sunset,’ Justin remembered.
‘All of a sudden this deer was in our headlights.
‘I was trying to dodge around it but I didn’t have enough time.
‘I turned into the middle of the deer, put my head down and went for it.’
The second the couple hit the deer their helmets knocked together and Victoria fainted, but Justin remained conscious as they veered into the woodland on the edge of the road.
Unfortunately, the crash had messed up the bike’s breaks and steering.
Justin said: ‘I was steering to the right and I couldn’t do anything about it.
‘We were heading into the forest.
‘We hit one of the reflective markers on the side of the road and it cut my left arm open and sliced Victoria’s knee.
‘We fell off and the bike flipped over.
‘I remember tumbling and seeing dirt and rocks and sky and I just thought: “I hope the bike doesn’t land on me”.
‘I flipped myself over one more time and I saw Tori already running to me and screaming: “We’re alive!”. I was still laying there.
‘I moved my head back and forth and my fingers and toes and bent my leg. But when I tried to push myself up, my left elbow just flopped out.
‘There was a huge chunk of my flesh missing on the inside of my elbow.’
An ambulance took the couple to Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe, where Justin was told his forearm bone had separated from his elbow.
The next day Justin underwent a skin graft, taking skin from his thigh to his left arm – which left parts of his tattoo on his arm.
Victoria needed eight stitches to her knee and suffered serious cuts and bruising on her arm.
The couple couldn’t walk for days after and were in agony, but didn’t even consider postponing their wedding day.
On 17 August the couple walked up the aisle, with Justin sporting a cast on his arm, while groomsmaids and bridesmaids made the journey on motorbikes.
They kept the biker theme despite the distressing crash just weeks earlier.
The couple’s friend Bobby Real officiated the wedding and asked: ‘Justin, do you take Victoria as your ‘ride or die’? And Victoria, do you take Justin as your ‘ride-or-die’?’
The cake featured a nod to the couple’s lucky escape with figurines of a couple with a bike and a deer cut in half.
Three workers from motorcycle shop Battle Born Harley-Davidson arrived at the wedding after hearing about the crash from Justin’s childhood friend Nick Parkhurst.
They gave the bride and groom new full-face helmets and padded jackets.
The newlyweds are still recovering and it will be a while before they’re able to get back on a bike, but they’re greatly enjoying married life regardless. The couple’s friends and family have set up a GoFundMe page to help them pay their medical bills.
Justin plans to buy back the totalled Harley Davidson from his insurer and rebuild it.
Victoria said: ‘[Justin is] the only person who can scare me and make me feel safe at the same time.
‘When we’re riding together, it feels intimate.
‘We will be back on that bike, there’s no other bike that’s quite the same.
‘Our intention was to take a load of wedding pics with the bike but Justin will not take any pictures with a bike that is not his.
‘So we’ll reenact our wedding pictures once he’s rebuilt the bike.’
We all know that if we’re doing a big shop that requires a trolley, we’ll need a £1 coin – or one of those fake coins your parents have attached to their keyrings.
We know this and yet – every single time – we forget that sneaky little coin we need to free a trolley from its chains.
This is endlessly frustrating, and while we could use this irritation to motivate us to keep a quid in our bags or invest in a proper keychain, we all know that won’t happen.
Instead we’ll just latch on to any hack we can find to work around our own lack of organisation.
And so, behold, fellow coin-forgetters, as one woman has revealed an easy way to trick the big guys (meaning the trolley… manufacturers, we think?) into letting us cart around our multibuys.
It’s simple: If you don’t have £1 for a trolley, you can shove your key in the trolley’s slot instead.
Summer, known as @leninsgf_ on Twitter, wrote: ‘Life hack if you ain’t got a quid for a trolley’, along with a photo of her genius.
Of course it’s important to note that this only works for certain keys – they’ll need to have a round head that’s around the size of a coin. So do check your key’s shape and size before you count on it for your next shopping trip.
Summer isn’t the first person to do this trick, as many people have piped up to say they’ve been doing it for years. This is probably true, and thus will seem like an obvious technique to many, but please, spare a thought for all us silly people who never considered sticking a key in a trolley. For us, this is a game-changer.
If you are lucky enough to have a correctly shaped key and try this trick for yourself, please do remember to remove your key from the trolley once you’re done. You can’t blame us if you forget and end up locked out of your house with a load of shopping.
If you don’t have a key that works for this specific hack, never fear, for there are other methods you can attempt for the next time you forget to bring a £1 coin.
One shopper previously revealed that a chocolate button can do the trick (although why you’d have a spare chocolate button but not a £1 coin is beyond us), while others rely on stacking two 20p coins on top of each other.
You can also go ahead and ask someone working at the supermarket – most of the time they’ll be sympathetic to your plight and help you out.
Or you can suck it up, be responsible, and just get one of those fake coins that you know you really should just keep handy. We haven’t succeeded at this technique yet, but perhaps you could. Best of luck.
Meghan Markle’s eagerly anticipated charity clothing collection has just dropped.
The Duchess of Sussex’s first appointment since the birth of baby Archie brings keen shoppers a range of dresses, workwear and a bag.
Meghan’s collection is in support of Smart Works – a charity that helps unemployed women get back into work by providing them with clothing and interview training.
It officially launched this afternoon but prior to the drop, M&S and John Lewis & Partners put up a few of the staples online. The other labels involve are Jigsaw and Meghan’s fashion designer pal Misha Nonoo.
You can get your hands on the Marks & Spencer’s affordable £19.50 ‘Smart Set’ crepe shift dress with a V-neck in blue or red.
The capsule collection also includes a tote bag which fits all the essentials needed for an interview. But it is on the pricer side, at £109.
The tote bag has a pocket on the outside, two detachable straps and two pockets on the inside to store phones and wallets.
An elegant blazer and well-cut trousers from Jigsaw is also up for grabs.
For every item bought during the sale of the collection, one will be donated to Smart Works, of which Meghan is Patron.
Half of Smart Works’ clients are from an ethnic minority background and have been unemployed long-term.
The Duchess of Sussex said: ‘Since moving to the UK, it has been deeply important to me to meet with communities and organisations on the ground doing meaningful work and to try to do whatever I can to help them amplify their impact.
‘I am excited to celebrate the launch of another initiative of women supporting women, and communities working together for the greater good.
‘Thank you to the four brands who came together in supporting Smart Works on this special project – placing purpose over profit and community over competition.
‘In convening several companies rather than one, we’ve demonstrated how we can work collectively to empower each other – another layer to this communal success story, that I am so proud to be a part of.’
Thanks to the charity’s support, 64% are reported to have gone back to employment.
Anyone who donates to the charity can also meet every month with the women to further their professional and personal development.
The Duchess of Sussex has visited the works several times and noted that while donations were plentiful, there weren’t enough size options.
So she selected British brands and designers that appeal to many British women.
A month ago, she teased fans with a behind the scenes video where she met some of the women working with Smart Works.
The Meghan Markle Smart Set will be available in stores and online from today, Thursday 12 September for at least two weeks, as well as in Smart Works Dressing Rooms across the UK.
Sales and donations should allow Smart Works to dress its clients for the coming year.
September is here. But we aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to hot girl summer.
If, like us, you’re in need of one final getaway before succumbing to the dreary drudgery of autumn, you’ll be delighted to hear about Eurostar’s ridiculously cheap ticket offer.
The company are offering tickets to Paris, Lille, Calais and Brussels for as little as £29 each way as part of their big end of season sale.
And if there’s anything better than glamorous European weekend breaks, it’s cheap, glamorous European weekend breaks.
For just £35 you could spend the weekend in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, and for £39 each way you can jet off to Bruges, Antwerp or Ghent – proving there’s still fun to be had even if you’ve blown your budget this summer.
Still got some cash left over? You can upgrade for a little taste of luxury for just £7 – adding a meal, a few alcoholic drinks and a bit more space to your journey.
The sale is only running until the 23rd September – but tickets that you buy in the sale will be valid between 1st October and 17th January. Perfect to make the most of an Indian summer or getaway for a Christmas break.
A Paris round trip for less than £60? oui s’il vous plaît.
Mattel has just released a limited-edition ‘Day of the Dead’ Barbie in celebration of the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos – but some critics are not happy with the doll.
The toy features ‘sugar skull’ face paint, a headdress and a black, floral, Mexican dress and is available to buy at Walmart, Target and Amazon.com for $75 (£60).
But some people have called out the brand accusing it of ‘cultural appropriation’.
‘Is this a bad joke or what?’ Tweeted one critic.
‘#Mattel toy company plans to release and promotion of a Day of the Dead Barbie… Día de los Muertos is one of our most sacred traditions in Mexico dating back to prehispanic days. STOP PRODUCTION!’
‘Cultural Appropriation Barbie is coming out soon,’ another added.
‘No! Day of thedead is a religious celebration for the indigenous ppl of Mexico. It is being used by Mattel or whatever corp. owns Barbie to make $. No one believes Ken & Barbie celebrate Day of thedead. Cultural appropriation at its worst!’ Tweeted another.
Día de Muertos, also known as the ‘Day of the Dead’, is a traditional holiday celebrated in Mexico where people honour the lives of loved ones who have died.
Some people think the doll is a positive celebration of this important cultural holiday.
‘I think it’s a wonderful tool for bringing our culture into our children’s everyday lives,’ said one.
‘Increase production. I would love to incorporate my heritage with raising my daughters. There aren’t enough toys that tie in with belief systems, ethics and morals. This is a great step forward,’ added someone else.’
So the doll is already proving controversial. It certainly hasn’t gone down as well as Barbie’s Rosa Parks doll which was released last month as part of the company’s inspiring women range.
Celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury has dropped yet another surprise launch; a brand-new sparkling edition of the brand’s fan-favourite Instant Eye Palette.
But there’s a catch. The new Starry Eyes to Hypnotise Instant Eye Palette is available for 24 hours only, until its official release as part of the Charlotte Tilbury Christmas collection for 2019 on 3rd October.
And considering the last two editions of the Instant Eye Palette sold out and Charlotte’s new 44-shade Airbrush Flawless Foundation had over a 17,000 people waiting list, there’s no doubt you’ll want to get your hands on the latest Instant Eye Palette ASAP.
The £60 limited-edition eyeshadow palette is perfect for the fast approaching festive season. Housed in a unique and offbeat dark blue casing you’ll find 12 all-new wearable shades from a warm shimmering gold to a sparkling bronzed khaki.
The new hues have been curated into four eye looks Happy Glow (for a golden glow), Love Glow (a rose-blushed look), Dream Glow (a bronzed khaki look), and Seduce Glow (for a sparkling smoky eye) – taking half the guess work out of picking eyeshadows that go together.
You’ll be set for dawn till dusk. It’s a total must-have.
As with all Charlotte’s best-selling palettes the eyeshadow formulation is blendable, highly pigmented and absolutely effortless to use. Plus, thanks to its infusion of real diamond powder (yes, really) the shadows are seriously shimmery, delivering an iridescent radiant glow across the lids in an instant.
It’s both great gift inspiration and the perfect party companion to adorn your eyes with this festive season.
The rest of the upcoming Christmas collection includes a beauty advent calendar (it doesn’t disappoint), false eyelashes and a Swarovski edition of their cult-favourite Filmstar Bronze & Glow.
But if you want to shop the limited-edition Starry Eyes to Hypnotise Instant Eye Palette ahead of the Christmas collection launch you only have until 9am on 13th September. Go, go, go.
You can shop the Charlotte Tilbury Starry Eyes to Hypnotise Instant Eye Palette, £60 online at charlottetilbury.com
Ellie Robson-Grice from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne endured unimaginable heartache after she had 12 miscarriages with no real explanation from medical professionals.
The 36-year-old said that without the correct advice and information she was left with nowhere to turn and blamed herself. Now she’s calling for more funding and research to help parents get the answers they desperately need when they experience a loss.
‘I was heartbroken and angry,’ Ellie tells Metro.co.uk. ‘I hated my body and blamed myself entirely, I felt like more of a failure after each loss.
‘I’m really not sure what kept me going, being told by medical professionals just to keep trying was one reason. Sheer determination was another, I felt like there had to be a happy ending.
‘But in all honesty, when we volunteered for the research trials I had lost all hope of ever having a child. I just wanted to give back into research and help others find their answers.’
A survey of 1,081 women who have lost a child during pregnancy or premature birth found that 71% are not given a medical reason why it happened.
In most cases, doctors simply don’t know why a pregnancy loss or preterm birth has happened.
In the same survey 82% of parents said they blamed themselves and 77% felt guilty for what happened, though for the vast majority their actions wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
This is something Ellie can relate to. In the aftermath of her losses she grasped for answers and internalised the blame.
‘I was wracked with guilt which severely impacted on my mental health,’ says Ellie. ‘I wondered if it was because I was unable to carry male pregnancies or even if it was because I went to a gig or bought a babygrow too early.
‘I broke down and told my husband that we had to split up as I couldn’t give him a family. It was the lowest point for me.
‘A GP told me that god willing I would have a child and all I could think is that I was unworthy, that I didn’t deserve to be a mum.’
Thankfully, the research trials that Ellie took part in lead to two successful pregnancies and she now has a pair of little ones, Aidan who is four and Sam who is seven months old, but many parents aren’t that lucky.
Ellie now wants to do everything she can to support other people who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth. She says information is at the heart of this process.
‘The impact of not having answers is huge,’ explains Ellie. ‘My mental health really suffered. Without medical answers it’s natural to blame yourself and question why.
‘We seek medical explanations for so many physical and mental health conditions, it is simply unacceptable that in 2019 we don’t do the same for pregnancy loss.
‘People can’t just blindly keep trying with little to no support. At some point people will give up and that’s just heartbreaking when there are answers and treatments that could help.’
The campaign aims to improve public understanding of the role of research in investigating reproductive complications to improve knowledge, which will enable better treatment and care.
‘When a baby dies during pregnancy or is born too soon, parents are often told that it’s “just one of those things”,’ says Jane Brewin, Tommy’s chief executive.
‘Tommy’s believes that pregnancy complications and baby loss are neither inevitable nor acceptable. Our research proves that we can find answers and prevent babies from dying before, during and after birth.
‘However, we need more funding for more research into reproductive health to tell all parents why it is happening and how we can prevent it happening again.’
Tommy’s believes that parents deserve to be told why their baby has died or has been born prematurely in order to end the cycle of self-blame and guilt that women like Ellie have experienced.
One in four women will lose a baby during pregnancy or birth.
Tommy’s funds medical research to discover the causes of baby loss and helps women at every stage of their pregnancy journeys.
Buying clothes in the sale just because they’re cheap, saving something for best, and wearing baggy outfits.
These are among the most common wardrobe fails, according to a fashion stylist who’s worked with thousands of women around the country.
Susie Hasler, 36, from East Grinstead, West Sussex, runs Styled By Susie, a styling service for women on a high street budget.
She specialises in women whose body shapes have changed due to having a baby, the menopause or because they’ve gained or lost weight and says that women shouldn’t be excluded from having a stylist just because they’re not the ‘rich and famous’.
The mother-of-one said: ‘Over the past seven years, I have had an insight into thousands of ladies’ wardrobes, and have seen the same mistakes being made time and again.
‘These mistakes lead to clothes not being worn and encourages women to keep buying and buying in the hope of completing the perfect wardrobe.
‘This leads to wasteful shopping.
‘I believe the true meaning of a sustainable wardrobe is one that gives you longevity, joy and confidence.’
As Styled By Susie celebrates reaching 20,000 fans on Instagram and opens appointments for new bookings in September, Susie has compiled her top wardrobe mistakes.
So, how many are you guilty of?
Buying sales clothes because they are cheap
Do not be tempted by bargains that catch your eye in the end of summer sales! Many stores buy in clothing just to sell it cheaply – it’s not genuine stock from the previous season that’s simply left over.
Also, there is usually a really good reason why something hasn’t sold.
If I’ve tried the same item on numerous clients and it hasn’t worked on any of them, I can guarantee I will see it in the sale a few months later.
If an item is good, it sells out quickly and doesn’t come back again. Sale mistakes are the outfit that will sit in your wardrobe and will never be worn.
Owning too much black
It’s something most women are guilty of – owning too much black. We tend to favour it because it’s a slimming colour. However, most body shapes would look better in a print or pattern instead.
Black can be a colour that women tend to hide away in, as they feel a bolder colour or print will make them stand out. But, this isn’t the case. A print acts like a filter and is much more flattering for skimming over curves.
But don’t rule out black altogether. It’s a handy neutral for most wardrobes – but it’s important to add splashes of colour too.
Keeping clothes in a smaller size
This is a big no-no. Don’t do it! Seeing clothes in your wardrobe that no longer fit you like they once did will end up making you feel deflated. Realistically, your size won’t change that drastically, even if you do lose a couple of pounds.
All the outfits you have in your wardrobe should fit you at the size you are now – not when you’ve reached your ideal weight goal. This way, when you open your wardrobe doors, you have the choice of everything in there.
However, if you do fluctuate between sizes, perhaps due to health reasons, keep the other sizes vacuum-packed in the loft or at the back of the wardrobe.
Not enough basics
This is the reason behind the saying, ‘I have too many clothes but nothing to wear.’ When you buy clothes sporadically throughout the year, you’re less likely to be able to form a capsule wardrobe. You may opt for a pretty printed skirt, but when you get it home you realise you have nothing to wear with it. Basics are the so-called ‘boring’ items that you’re likely walk past in the shops – they are the T-shirts, vests, cardigans and knitwear. These act as the glue to pull so many more outfits together.
A basic white T-shirt, for example, can be worn with jeans, with a co-ord suit, tucked into a pleated skirt or under a pair of dungarees.
Just that one T-shirt will give you at least 4 different outfits! You don’t have to spend much money on basics, and sometimes the best ones are the cheap ones.
Keep an eye on your white T-shirts in particular, and if they start to ‘yellow’ around the armpits, it’s time to replace them.
Not having enough shoes to go with your outfits
I always advise my clients to dress from the feet up. Look for shoes in neutral colours, that way, you’ll be able to match them with more clothes. A red pair of trainers may seem like a fun, spontaneous buy, but you will have fewer outfits to wear with them.
Whereas a pair of white or metallic trainers is more likely to go with many outfits, including patterned dresses, trousers, jeans and jumpsuits.
If you plan what you’re going to wear from the feet up, you’ll find it easier to piece together an outfit. This doesn’t mean you need to own 20 pairs of shoes, simply fewer pairs that go with more clothes.
Wearing baggy clothes
Yes, you may be more comfortable wearing baggy clothes, but they’re also going to make you look bigger and completely hide your silhouette. I have met clients who wear clothes two or even three sizes larger than their actual size. The outfits drown their figures.
Stick to wearing your size and wearing it well. Women tend to dislike the feeling of tighter clothes, so a looser fit is going to make them feel more comfortable. If this sounds familiar, you can still add a looser layer to your fitted outfit. For example, skinny jeans and a vest will be fitted enough, but a beautifully printed kimono will add that ‘safe layer’ so that you don’t feel too exposed.
You will still look stylish but will show more of your lovely silhouette.
Saving something for best
Live by the motto: every day is for best! Keeping a pretty dress for the one date night you may get a year is such a waste.
By all means, wear the frock for that romantic night, but then pair it with trainers or ankle boots during the day – you’ll feel a million dollars. Women tell me that getting stuck in the rut of wearing jeans every day leaves them feeling uninspired and stagnated.
Mix it up by wearing them under that pretty dress. Dresses can be more comfortable and, unless it’s a cocktail gown, don’t save it for best!
Keeping clothing for sentimental reasons
You may want to hang on to an item or an outfit because it reminds you of a special time or a special person who bought it for you. You probably haven’t worn it for years but you don’t feel as though you can part ways with it due to your emotional attachment to the item.
If you really can’t bear to part with it or pass it on to someone who will wear it, keep it in a box somewhere. Don’t let it hang in your wardrobe – this should be kept for everyday outfits. Keep the memories in your head instead.
Buying dainty footwear
Ballet pumps, kitten heels and baseball trainers work for very few body shapes. A dainty shoe makes the feet look smaller, which will make the hips and tummy look wider. If you’re a curvy woman, shoes with a chunkier sole would be a better fit.
A more substantial pair is going to balance out a curvier silhouette, and even swapping ballet pumps for loafers will make a huge difference to your workwear.
If you have a rectangle body shape or you are a strawberry with a broader top half, choose dainty footwear that will balance out your shape. A chunky shoe on these shapes would overwhelm your silhouette.
Buying the wrong jeans for your shape
Jeans don’t need to be difficult to buy, you just have to know which ones suit your shape. If you are an apple shape and tend to carry most of your weight around your middle, you should opt for jeans that draw the eye towards your legs. Choose lighter colours or jeans with rips on the knee.
If you’re a pear shape, you will be wider on the hips than shoulders, and you will look best in a darker denim, such as indigo or black. Most women work best with a high-waisted style. Also, make sure the back pockets aren’t too small – larger ones will be more flattering and they’re also a sign of better quality jeans.
Skinny jeans work well on all shapes and for all ages, but if you’re curvaceous it’s important to follow my footwear advice above.
Not owning enough costume jewellery
Costume jewellery dates quickly so it’s important to never spend too much money on it and to regularly update it. It can really add polish, flair and personality to an outfit.
Costume jewellery can make a big difference to your shape – for example, if you have a larger bust, adding a long necklace will narrow your top half.
Earrings suit all women and I call them ‘a bra for your face’ because they give you a natural facelift!
You can find out more about Susie or book your own personal styling session at styledbysusie.co.uk.
The best shops for YOUR body shape:
Pears
● Next: They will work well for your curvy hips as their jeans will fit well on the waist too. They are also great for smart trousers and summer shorts.
● H&M: Great for tops that show off your lovely delicate shoulders and décolletage. Look for ones with detail on the shoulders and pretty prints.
● Oasis: Look for pretty tops or embellished collars and necklines.
Apples:
● River Island: Their jeans will work well for your shape and they offer a great online Curve range if you’re above a size 18.
● Next: Great for jeans and basics that don’t cling to the tummy.
● Mint Velvet: A higher price point but their clothes flatter curves as well as a fuller bust.
Hourglasses:
● Topshop: Their jeans work well for your curvaceous shape and will fit well on the hips as well as the waist. You may need to size up as Topshop sizing isn’t too generous!
● Dorothy Perkins: Their dresses work well for hourglasses as they accentuate your waist and skim over the hips.
● Warehouse: They excel in A-line cuts, particularly winter skirts that you can wear with a fine knit tucked into the waistband.
Rectangles:
● Zara and H&M work well for jeans and trousers because they are cut a little narrower on the hips.
● H&M are great for rectangle shapes as they are cut well for their silhouette and they usually have a great choice of prints, patterns and fabrics. Try their slacks trousers which will fit well on your hips.
● Mango is great if you like a more simple, chic look and it’s affordable too. Perfect for rectangle shaped ladies.
Strawberries:
● New Look: Great for skirts that are cut a little narrower on the hips, therefore showing off your narrowest point.
● Hush: A higher price point but their dresses and tops are cut generously for the strawberry top half.
● River Island: Their jeans will show off those killer legs. Choose light colours and rips.
● Warehouse: Great for tops and blouses that fit well on broader shoulders and a fuller bust. You may have to size up.
Plus Sizes:
● Unfortunately the in-store ranges are sparse for plus-sized ladies but there are many options online which work so well for my clients. Most shops have an online “Curve” range. Some of my favourites include:
● Mango Violeta Range, New Look Curve, Very Curve, River Island Plus and Dorothy Perkins Curve.
● If you prefer to shop in store, I’m a fan of Yours Clothing for plus-sized ladies. It’s not a visually appealing shop but the clothes are great and so flattering.
● Evans have also become better in recent years and they are brilliant for stylish shoes in a wide fitting size.
When you’ve spent a load of money on a fancy candle, you want to use up every last bit of wax.
But when the wick is burned out and you can’t burn the dregs, what do you do?
Don’t faff around trying to scrape out the remaining wax. Instead, try this simple hack shared by Sara Jones Hough in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains Facebook group.
It requires minimal effort, so anyone can do it.
When you can no longer light your candle, retrieve the wax at the bottom of the jar by pouring hot water into the jar.
The heat will melt the wax, allowing it to collect at the top. Once it sets you can simply remove that nice layer of wax and use it in an oil burner to get the most out of your fancy candle.
If you don’t have an oil burner, you can cut a hole in the wax and pop it on top of a new candle, threading the wick through.
Sara managed to get a chunk of wax that was as thick as the diameter of a 10p coin, so it really is worth giving a go.
She wrote in the Facebook group: ‘Little life hack I’m amazed.
‘Wick had gone on my Yankee candle so I poured hot water into the jar, all the wax goes to the top and once it sets remove and now it can be used in my wax burner. got loads out of it.
‘I can’t believe how many I’ve thrown over the years.’
Sara’s post has received more than 1,000 comments praising her for the trick.
One woman said that rather than burning the remaining wax, she popped it into her drawers and wardrobes to make everything smell lovely.
Another commented to suggest buying cheap wicks on ebay to make mini candles out of the retrieved wax.
Many noted that once you’ve got all the wax out of your candle jar, you can give the container a scrub and use it to store other bits and bobs, so nothing goes to waste.
We’re never throwing out another used up candle again.
Do you feel like school prepared you for real life?
Sure, we might have the Pythagorean theorem nailed, but we still aren’t entirely confident in doing a boiler reading or knowing how you actually buy a house.
New research says that 87% of Britons believe school failed to adequately prepare them for life as an adult, saying they weren’t taught the life skills they needed before leaving full-time education.
Unless you went to a school where personal finance classes were thrown in with the math lessons, you’ll probably agree.
The skills most people lack when leaving school focus around money management, followed by DIY knowhow and mental health awareness.
The research from online tutoring platform MyTutor found that budgeting and handling money were the skills adults most wished they had been taught at school, with those surveyed most likely to feel underprepared in these areas.
The situation seems to be worse for younger people, as while 26% of people aged 65+ felt they were taught all the life skills they needed, that figure falls to 8% among the 18 to 24 age group.
So, what are the skills we’re not taught in schools?
The top life skills people said they wished were taught in schools:
How to budget money
How to handle money
DIY skills
Mental health awareness
Taxes and living expenses
Cooking and nutrition
How to buy a house
How our political system works
Effective communication
Online safety and data protection
Perhaps it’s time to introduce a life skills module to the curriculum… knowing how politics works and how to save and spend money seem quite important.
Modern technology has transformed our lives, improving comfort and convenience, and allowing us to do things quicker than ever before.
Now that progress has come to our railways with LNER’s brand new Azuma trains, which are revolutionising train travel for the thousands of passengers using the service daily between London, York, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Britain’s most advanced and innovative trains feature sleek new interiors, with 7cm of extra legroom, free Wi-Fi and plug sockets at every seat.
If you’re not using the Wi-Fi and charging points to catch up on emails, you can sit back and relax in new and improved seats that are ergonomically designed to improve posture.
An extra 100 Standard Class seats on each train mean there are more affordable fares – in fact, there are 3,773 more £29 Standard Class tickets available every week between Leeds and London.
First Class is all about luxury, with wider, reclining seats, even more legroom and larger tables – all equipped with plugs, USB charging points and LNER’s improved Wi-Fi.
You’ll also enjoy a complimentary two course lunch and dinner menu, or breakfast in the morning, with dishes prepared by chefs using high quality local ingredients. In Standard Class, there’s the Let’s Eat Cafe Bar with an at-seat trolley service.
Azuma means ‘east’ in Japanese and the trains combine bullet train technology with the proud manufacturing heritage of the North East, home to the famous Flying Scotsman.
Every train is assembled at Hitachi’s plant in County Durham and the parts are sourced locally. Diesel-electric hybrid engines and a lightweight design makes them quieter, more reliable and greener than ever before.
Azuma trains welcome everyone. Each service has wheelchair spaces, accessible toilets with baby-changing facilities and easy to use display panels above every seat showing if it’s free or taken.
For day-trippers wanting to experience the East Coast’s spectacular countryside, there are special compartments for bikes. Just make sure you book in advance.
You can travel from London to Leeds in 2hrs 16mins, to Newcastle in 2hrs 50mins and to Edinburgh from 4hrs 19mins.
Don’t miss out! Travel on a new Azuma train today
Always go direct to the LNER website for their cheapest fares. You’ll also get Nectar points, no booking fees and great savings, including:
· Leeds to London for £29 with an Advanced Single.
· Save on average 53% with the LNER Family Return ticket for up to 2 adults and 4 children
· 25% off Advance fares when you book with a group of 3-9 people.
For inspiration visit LNER’s dedicated travel page.
So much of athletic performance comes down to mental attitude and focus.
Whether you’re running a 10K or trying to lift heavier weights in the gym, half the battle is in your mind. The belief in yourself and the ability to block out doubt and distraction can make all the difference.
This is why meditation is fast becoming a vital tool for elite athletes – and it’s possible to use these principles to improve your performance in the gym, running, or whatever your fitness goal.
You will often hear long-distance runners talk about breaking through ‘the wall’ – this is about mental resilience as much as it is about physical strength. The two are inextricably linked. And building mental toughness can help physical developments too.
We asked the experts at Headspace for their advice on how to get started with meditation and how to use it to improve your fitness performance.
‘Sport is a mental game – more so in many ways than a physical one,’ explains Lindsay Shaffer, director of sport at Headspace.
‘Athletes (both amateur and professional) go to great lengths to train their bodies to get a competitive edge, but we often neglect the one thing that underlies everything we do: the mind.’
Lindsay believes that mental training is the future of sport and fitness performance, and that meditation and mindfulness are both powerful techniques to help people push their boundaries.
‘Athletes and coaches at the highest level – from Team GB to the NBA – are fast understanding that it is a tool to sharpen preparation, performance, and recovery,’ she says.
‘Athletes usually have honed physiques. But the fact is, if you’re not simultaneously training the mind as well as the body, you’re missing that winning edge. Meditation is strength training for the brain.’
Lindsay has pulled together some tips about how to kick-start your meditation journey to increase focus, resilience and confidence, boost performance and aid recovery.
Commit to starting
It’s a common misconception that meditation takes months – even years – to master. That’s not the case at all.
See it as you would taking up a new sport: like any discipline, the first step is to master the basics.
Focus is the quality of non-distraction: it’s something that happens when we let go of thinking and any other distracting phenomena. Plenty of us can achieve focus, but find it harder to maintain it.
In many ways, meditation is a training in non-distraction as we are practicing being aware of our thoughts.
How to meditate
Learning how to meditate is a fairly straightforward process, especially if you’re able to follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Decide on a time and place that works for you.
Research shows that it’s easiest to create a new habit when we do it at the same time, same place every day.
Just don’t overthink it: The best time to meditate is really whenever you can best prioritize it. And the best place to meditate? Wherever you can be comfortable and minimally distracted.
Step 2: Decide on an amount of time to meditate.
Particularly for beginners, starting with small, manageable chunks of time – for example, 3, 5, or 10-minute sessions – is key, so you can build up your practice and find your sweet spot.
The most important thing is to decide on an amount of time that is effective, but also feels achievable so you continue to show up day after day.
Step 3: Make sure you’re sitting comfortably.
Sit with your legs and arms uncrossed, feet flat on the floor, and hands resting on your lap or by your side. Keep your back straight, but not too tense.
If you need it, a small cushion or rolled up towel can help keep your back straight.
Step 4: Decide whether you want the meditation to be guided or unguided.
A guided meditation is led by an experienced teacher – either in person at a meditation group or class, or via audio or video as in the Headspace app.
Guided meditation is recommended for people who are learning how to meditate.
Set goals
Do you want to train harder to hit a new PB? Learn how to cope better with defeat? Boost recovery, or calm pre-match jitters?
Having clarity in your intention and setting clear steps to get there, makes the path to success less daunting.
Doubt and distraction can get in the way of our goals, but by re-focusing your energy on your intention, you can stay more committed to your goal and quiet the distractions that create pressure.
Make it a habit
Meditation, just like learning a new skill in sport, takes practice.
When practiced consistently, meditation is beneficial for pre-game prep, preparing athletes to be not only relaxed, but also in an active state of readiness for kick-off.
It also helps athletes relax in stressful situations, building self-confidence and achieving a more positive mindset – important for being mentally strong when you’ve suffered a set-back such as injury or defeat.
One way to incorporate this habit is by attaching meditation to an existing routine so that it becomes a more natural integration into your lifestyle.
Incorporating a new habit into your routine, even one that makes you feel great, can be tough. If you miss a day, be kind to yourself and know that you can always try again the following day.
Take it beyond the gym
Many athletes and fitness lovers come to realise through meditation that the mind is an essential part of living a healthy and happy life outside of athletic performance. The two are not separate: you take home what happens in sport or at the gym.
When we sit down to meditate – even if it’s only for ten minutes – we are not only meditating with preparation, performance, and recovery in mind; we are taking steps to ensure we are less reactive and less stressed in all areas of life, and to ensure we maintain harmonious relationships with people around us.
It allows us to stay grounded, fully present, and always focused, no matter what comes our way.
As we brace for these last few warm days of September, it’s time to find a signature drink to bridge the gap between August and pumpkin spice latte season.
Enter the violet drink – the new secret menu item you’re going to see popping up all over Instagram.
The Instagrammable drink is like a combo of the infamous pink drink that was mega-popular last year and the purple drink.
The purple drink, in case you didn’t know, is made by asking for a Passion Iced Tea made with soy milk, with a shot of vanilla syrup and a scoop of blackberries. As the name would suggest, it’s a lovely purple shade.
The pink drink, meanwhile, is a Strawberry Acai Refresher made with coconut milk, with a scoop of strawberries. It’s pink.
The violet drink is a mashup of the two in terms of colour, but not in its ingredients. Like those hyped up drinks before it, it’s also vegan.
To make the violet drink, you simply need to ask for a Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher made with coconut milk and ice and finished with a scoop of blackberries.
The end result is a pleasingly creamy, violet drink that tastes as delightful as it looks.
And for once, this is a secret menu hack you can actually get in the UK. Starbucks stores in the UK don’t technically stock the Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher, but they do have something called a Shaken Hibiscus Infusion and a Blackberry Mojito Green Tea. Just ask for a mixture of both, made with coconut milk, and voila. You’ve got a violet drink.
Or play around with whatever weird mixes and hacks take your fancy.
Take a look at the iced tea options on offer. Ask for them made with a dairy alternative. Some will be a failure, but you might just stumble upon the next viral concoction. What an honour.
Me, Brenda Finn, a plus-size girl with no hair, appearing for the first time as a model in her own right rather than as part of some campaign for raising awareness for people with a different appearance.
But with London Fashion Week kicking off again today, has anything really changed? Or was my catwalk moment just a passing fad?
When I first lost my hair from alopecia as a teenager, I used fashion to express myself, feeling I’d lost my identity.
I loved checking out London Fashion Week previews in the media, creating my own versions of the latest looks as best I could in my imagination. I didn’t think I’d ever see anyone who looked like me, with my visible difference, as part of a show or campaign.
Being part of Steven Tai’s show at LFW in September 2018 was an incredible experience. Finally, the girl who used to dream of one day seeing a model ‘just like her’, became that model.
I was nervous being amongst the ‘conventional’ models on the catwalk, but importantly, I didn’t feel out of place. Being part of that show gave me a new level of confidence. I have gone on to model for No. 7, and I’m now working with Avon as part of their partnership with the charity Changing Faces.
At the time of the Steven Tai show, many other designers came out saying how inspired they felt to use a more diverse range of models in the future. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case.
While the term ‘inclusivity’ has become a buzzword in fashion over the past year, where are the long-term initiatives to fight for a more accepting and open industry?
The fashion industry is missing out. The rise of social media has brought to light the wide range of different consumers who want to see a more inclusive narrative. The faces and bodies of the women at fashion shows around the world need to reflect and celebrate our unique and diverse beauty.
Designers and brands also need to listen to what consumers want. They have a huge platform and a responsibility to challenge perceptions of traditional body and beauty standards.
We’ve seen some progress, but there’s a long way to go. In order to create lasting sustainable change, collections need to be showcased by real women: representation doesn’t just come in one dress size or look.
We need to go beyond engaging with designers. The fashion industry as a whole needs to change how it views and represents difference, from casting through to brand campaigns.
All too often what I see still feels tokenistic, as if someone’s said, ‘Let’s throw in a beautiful model with freckles, that will tick the inclusivity box’.
Lasting, sustainable change needs to be informed by authentic voices and actions. It needs to be a new norm, not just a one-off.
I still get stares from people who are ignorant about alopecia. I still get derogatory comments like, ‘If I had to look like you I’d kill myself’. But thanks to the small handful of designers and brands that are including more models who look different, I’m hopeful for the future.
I want to see people with alopecia, skin conditions and scars in brand campaigns and on the fashion catwalks because they reflect a diverse society, not just because it’s another short-term trend. So, come on London Fashion Week, let’s see you lead the charge.
Even if it’s been years since you graduated, September probably still has that ‘back to school’ feel.
We crack open new notepads, feel an urgent need to buy new pens, and eagerly take on anyone’s back to school advice as a sort of end-of-year resolution.
And so, while we’re not the target audience, we’re still big fans of the back to school photos of residents at Riverview Retirement Community in Washington, in which wise older people share their wisdom with the world.
Inspired by the photos parents snap of their children on their first day of school, the pictures show residents holding up blackboards with their name, age, school, and their advice for the younger generation.
We may not be in school anymore, but we can all take these bits of advice to heart.
Judy, 80
After holding a plank for the camera, Judy challenged students to do the same for one minute. We’ll try that later.
Her other advice is a classic: ‘Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.’
Wally, 95
A simple suggestion all of us can try: ‘Volunteer!’
Wilma, 80
‘Follow your dream,’ says Wilma. Hear, hear.
BJ, 94
BJ’s advice is ‘keep movin!’.
Sure, this could just be a recommendation to stay active, but it could also have a deeper meaning. We’ll choose to believe it’s both.
Whatever happens, whatever goes wrong, you’ve just got to keep movin forward. Simple.
A DJ from Devon has been crowned the UK Glamour Model of the Year after losing half her body weight.
Bonnie Staimer, 35, weighed 16.5 stone at her heaviest after eating whatever she wanted during and after pregnancy.
After her weight made her consider quitting work as a DJ due to lack of confidence, the single mum of two decided to make a change.
She began to hit the gym six times a week and stick to a healthy diet. She has now lost a total of eight and a half stone, and feels comfortable getting back on stage to DJ again.
Bonnie DJ-ed the UK Glamour Awards ceremony, and was shocked to find she had also won the title of UK glamour model of the year.
She said: ‘I hadn’t been overweight until I fell pregnant with my first child. I just ate literally whatever I was not meant to, which I enjoyed at the time, but I piled on the pounds. The last time I weighed myself I was 16..5st.
‘After I gave birth I tried to lose the weight and feel like me again, but within six months I was pregnant with my second daughter and it happened all over again.
‘I have been a DJ for a few years but lost all my confidence and was so close to jacking it in and working in a supermarket.
‘I need an incentive to get myself into the right state of mind so I decided to raise money for Cancer Research by signing up for the London Marathon in 2017.
‘I was down to about 12 stone when I did it and just kept going with exercising and eating healthy.’
Bonnie was determined to lose weight in a healthy way rather than going for any sort of crash diet or gimmick and says there’s no massive secret to her transformation.
‘The key is being in the right frame of mind, along with routine, exercise, eating well and drinking water,’ she said.
‘I work out six days a week and try to rest one day a week but I’m still active running around after the kids. Sometimes I get up at 6am and do 30 minutes on the cross-trainer wearing 27 kilos of weights.
‘People think that sounds a lot but I was carrying a lot more than that when I was overweight.
‘I also go to the gym, run and I have two horses so I enjoy horse riding. Sometimes I do look at my cross trainer and think I can’t be bothered, then all I do is just think about what I’m trying to achieve and after I’ve done it I feel so much better.’
After losing weight and gaining confidence, Bonnie began modelling, and quickly racked up Instagram followers and fans.
When she was nominated for the title of UK glamour model of the year, the mum never thought she would win.
Now she’s back to DJing, modelling, and enjoying life at a healthier weight.
‘It’s crazy,’ said Bonnie. ‘I’ve now gone 360 degrees and am loving DJing again. My family and friends are just so pleased to see me back where I belong and doing so well.
‘I never thought I stood a chance to become UK Glamour Awards Model of the Year, which again was probably a confidence thing.
‘People may assume I’m big headed because of my success recently, but I’m the most down to earth person and no one is more shocked than me how well things are going.
‘My goals have changed along the way but what I want now is to keep my DJ career going and the modelling. Luckily both go hand in hand, and I just want to be happy and healthy.’
Some choose to honour loved ones by immortalising their tattoos as wall hangings, while others hire strippers to cavort around the coffin. There is no right way to mourn.
However, some folks seem to strike the perfect balance of humour and love when it comes to honouring a life that was.
A Connecticut family recently lost their 82-year-old dad, Joe Heller, a man who lived a life dedicated to pranks.
The viral obituary includes details of Joe naming his first dog ‘Fart’, his costume antics and a dying wish for his family to ‘dig a hole in the back yard and just roll him in’.
Joe’s 51-year-old daughter Monique made sure to draw out the obituary as much as possible, admitting in the 1,298 word piece that the ‘exceedingly long obituary’ would have ‘really pissed Joe off.’
The hilarious piece begins with how his family first learned that he was close to death.
They write: ‘When the doctors confronted his daughters with the news last week that “your father is a very sick man,” in unison they replied, “you have no idea”.’
Joe, who served in the Navy and then went on to become town constable, volunteer fireman and snow plower, was a joker since childhood. He even insisted on his first dog being named ‘Fart’ so that his dear mum ‘would have to scream his name to come home if he wandered off’.
The pranks continued when he had a family of his own. He routinely had his wife sew kooky costumes so he could fully immerse himself in his pranks.
Joe also loved visiting beauty shops with his three daughters, where he’d let them do his hair and apply his makeup ‘liberally.’
He even treated his family with knick-knacks he’d carefully procured from the local rubbish dump.
The obituary reads: ‘Joe was a frequent shopper at the Essex Dump and he left his family with a house full of crap, 300 pounds of birdseed and dead houseplants that they have no idea what to do with. If there was ever a treasure that he snatched out from under you among the mounds of junk, please wait the appropriate amount of time to contact the family to claim your loot.’
The witty and heartfelt send-off ends with an invitation to attend Joe’s memorial service at the Essex Fire Department, where all are welcome to ‘don the most inappropriate T-Shirt’ possible and prepare to receive some of his ‘leftovers’ and ‘kitchen concoctions’, because it’s exactly what he would have done.
As the first Friday 13th of the year, today marks the first of two superstitious Fridays in 2019.
Feared by some but welcomed by others, the unlucky day in Western superstition will be arriving twice to spook those who believe this year, as the 13th falls on a Friday in both September and December in 2019.
Friday 13 September is made even more ominous this year by the expected appearance of a full moon tonight. A rare occurrence as the last time a full moon was visible on a Friday the 13th was in October 2000. The next time this will happen won’t be for another 30 years, until Friday August 13 2049.
While there will be those who choose not to travel, make any major life changes or choices and keep their lucky talismans close today, there are also plenty of people who welcome today’s date as a prime opportunity to put social media to its best use – for sharing memes and funny images.
Here’s a collection of our favourites from Twitter and Instagram to distract you from your superstitions today.
Friday 13th memes and images
THINGS THAT ARE BAD LUCK: 1. Breaking a mirror 2. Stepping on a crack 3. Accidentally pressing "Reply All" 4. Your boss saying "Can I have a word?" 5. Forgetting your jacket in September 6. Being on the same plane as a Stag Do 7. Calling your teacher "mum"#FridayThe13th