Innehållsförteckning för September 2024 från Platinum

This issue hits the shelves the same day as the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, giving me a reason to dig out this old picture of me dressed head to toe in gold, not at the opening but the closing ceremony of London 2012. I was in the Rio flag handover section as one of the samba dancers, sporting a 70s-inspired outfit and a ridiculously heavy wheel on my back that flashed in time to the music. It was one of the most surreal and incredible experiences of my life. I remember Take That and other famous performers passing by in the tunnel as we lined up to go on. Before I knew it, our music was playing and I was striding out into the arena, trying to take it all…

As you read this, I will be on my way to Spain for my oldest daughter’s wedding and my very first experience of being “mother of the bride”. Why Spain? No idea, except she wanted guaranteed good weather and an aesthetic of “rural finca chic” in the beautiful late afternoon light. Weekend weddings abroad are quite the thing among young people these days, and I can see the appeal because everyone tends to stay at, or near, the venue, which fosters a more intimate camaraderie among the guests. And, of course, there’s the Sunday morning, slightly hungover debrief, which is always fun. It’s fascinating how weddings have changed over the years. When I was a young bridesmaid for my mother’s friends, it was still the done thing for the bride…

A few months ago, I stumbled across a gorgeous Spanish boutique on Instagram (riveraspain.com). Scrolling through the endless stream of desirable outfits made me immediately want to jump on a plane and fly to Madrid. It was the effortlessly diverse character of almost every outfit that immediately appealed to me. Tops and skirts seemed to float, skim and dance around the wearers silhouette. The designer obviously shared my love of giant gauzy scarves, loose Palazzo pants, ankle-length fluid skirts, kaftan-inspired jackets, and dresses with nothing of the milkmaid about them. I hate to use the word “sensible” as it correlates to dull, and these outfits are most definitely not that, but they are wearable and easy. Each outfit was cleverly designed with women of all shapes, sizes and age in…

Some facials are relaxing while others are somewhat painful – often those that involve high-tech lasers, microneedling or any type of gadget that zaps, resurfaces or burns (all in the name of rebuilding collagen!). My pain threshold is low, so I am relieved to find that the modus operandi of Justine Masters, aka The Alternative Facialist, is one of supporting the ageing process in as natural and holistic a way possible – meaning no fillers, Botox or needles (to the face anyway... you can opt for an intravenous infusion of vitamins to pep you up, see box out further on). Straight away I like Justine; talking 10 to the dozen about her work, and why she’s so passionate about sharing holistic wellness and promoting “pro-ageing” as opposed to “anti-ageing”, she’s…

Amanda Rose has always been a doodler. ‘I sometimes question where on Earth these doodles come from. Probably from my mother, she was a constant doodler. She used to doodle when she was talking to people on the phone. She would produce these amazing doodles, in between chatting and smoking a cigarette and dragging the phone cord everywhere.’ But whilst Amanda loved to doodle, she tells me she never really loved school. ‘I lived for PE and art, but unfortunately my doodles didn’t get me into O-Level art. In fact, I was banned; they just said, “What’s the point?”. My dad fought for me to do A-Level design – where I ended up doing pottery. In the end, I scraped through my A-Levels and ended up training to be a…

LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author shares her joy at completing her latest challenge. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her six favourite new reads for us this month. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter takes a look at weddings as her daughter’s big day approaches. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy offers a mindful approach to movement by embracing dance. DOTTIE MONAGHAN Platinum’s make-up guru focuses on the travel essentials you should pack for your summer hols. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP shares the five most important body measurements you should know. ANGELA KENNEDY Writer Angela takes a look at love after loss in The Big Debate feature. GAIL ROLFE Fashion expert Gail curates inspired looks that offer chic, timeless style. ELIZABETH JOSEPH Writer Elizabeth…

My mum had such an eclectic group of friends. I grew up in a really cosmopolitan community that I thought was a real reflection of the world. It was very LGBTQIA positive; every race was represented. I’d go to school and write essays about my summer holidays, and the teachers would have meetings about it afterwards. They were worried about my home environment because they were reading things they found quite alarming for a 10-year-old to write about, such as “Uncle Freddy and uncle Carl finally got together and everyone’s so happy,” and they would be like “oh, no, no, no”. Mum was and still is very open and accepting of everyone. Over the holidays, if people were single or alone or divorced, she would take them in. I think…

All David Emanuel x Bonmarché pieces available now from bonmarche.co.uk.…

Beauty awards DON’T MISS THE PLATINUM BEAUTY AWARDS 2024 IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE. ON SALE AUG 23! Hello! It’s been five months since we launched the new Platinum Beauty Awards, and the response has been phenomenal. We’ve been amazed by the exceptional quality of the products submitted. Our expert judging panel spent eight weeks thoroughly testing the products and has now selected our winners over eight categories in bodycare, skincare, fragrance, haircare, beauty tools and more, as well as 16 of the most outstanding “hero” products. The judges’ task was not easy, but every product was independently tested by three judges and scored across various categories to ensure a fair and balanced process. We are excited to reveal our winners and will include a dedicated 32-page Beauty Awards supplement with…

Health coaching Lots of women feel less than excited by the concept of exercise. They’ve all heard the benefits ad nauseam – but still can’t quite motivate themselves to do anything about it. Let’s repeat those benefits anyway, for good measure. Regularly moving your body is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It reduces your risk of disease (including type 2 diabetes, stroke and arthritis), strengthens your bones and muscles, and helps you to stay active, mobile and independent as you get older. Movement supports brain health, improves memory, protects you from dementia and helps you to manage stress. It’s a powerful antidepressant: more powerful than taking an antidepressant. It helps you to sleep better, boosts your energy, lifts your mood and bolsters your…

I grew up a Mormon, lived on a council estate, left school with a few GCSEs, and was married and living on a chicken farm at 18. I had no confidence, no self-esteem, no ambition, and no clue about how to budget for a better future. Divorce number one happened at 21. Fast-forward 26 years and at the age of 47, I’ve made £20m over the past seven years and now work less hours than I ever did. The biggest change? My mindset. If you keep hearing the term “money mindset” but don’t know what it means, it’s your attitude to money. This lurks in your subconscious, and it will have an influence on pretty much every decision you make that involves money – from earning it to spending it.…

‘I love a dress with pockets!’ Helen Jeffries, 54, from Manchester ‘My dress is from Joules and I wear this with a belt and brown sandals. It’s incredibly comfy and I always feel nice in it. My hubby likes this one too! I’ve probably had this 1-2 years and don’t wear it as often as some others (I love Boden for dresses too), but I really like it. I also love a dress with pockets!’ ‘My friend chose my dress’ Nancy Ralston, 65, from Lanarkshire ‘Last year my husband wanted to treat me to an afternoon tea in a posh hotel in Edinburgh for my birthday so I decided (as usual) that I would need to buy something new for the occasion. My very good friend Jan saw this dress…

PLATINUM EXPERT Adele Parks MBE Adele Parks MBE is the author of 24 bestselling novels, including number one Sunday Times Bestsellers Just My Luck and Lies Lies Lies. Her latest novel, First Wife’s Shadow, is a twisty psychological thriller about jealousy and greed. Adele has sold over 5 million books in the UK editions and her work has been translated into more than 30 different languages. She is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. She loves hearing from readers so keep in touch via Twitter @adeleparks and Instagram @adele_parks. BREAKING THE DARK by Lisa Jewell (£20, Century) This is something new for bestseller Lisa Jewell. Breaking The Dark is the first book in the brand-new Marvel…

When the love of her life died, Jenny knew she would never love again. They’d got engaged while Ted was serving in the Royal Navy defending his country during World War II, like so many other ordinary Brits. Every time they parted, might be their last time together. But Ted was fortunate and he survived. Jenny and Ted married in 1945, him in his smart military uniform, her in a simple white dress. Over the years, they built a love that was strong, supportive, filled with laughter, and a great model for their two children. Jenny remained as giddily in love with Ted as the day they first met. Until three decades later, when Ted collapsed in the back garden, dead of a massive heart attack at the young age…

Platinum magazine is written for women who want to look and feel good into middle age and beyond. As one of our readers, I am sure you could tell me in an instant your dress size and even how it may vary in different high street stores. You will know your bra size and probably your weight, too. But this month, I’d like to focus on the five numbers I think are most relevant for women of our age… WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE We all know that carrying excess weight increases our risk of serious conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but where we carry any excess pounds is also influential. If I took two ladies of identical height and weight, but one carried her extra pounds around her midriff…

My arms are the first thing that women (and some men) notice about me these days, before I even say “Hello”. This started in my early 50s and it caught me by surprise. Some mention my arms straight away, some tell me later. I’m driven by functionality rather than how I look, and believe that there are ways to getting strong, toned arms with more awareness of your body and how it moves. MIND OVER MUSCLE A toned body comes from understanding how your own body works before following any specific workout routine. How do you sit? How do you stand? How do you walk? It’s shocking to see how many run before getting an answer to these basic questions. Have you ever heard of the “mind-muscle connection”? Bodybuilders know…

3 to try If you’re not convinced to embrace full-on brown just yet, try an earthy toned accessory to start you off.…

Launching your own business as a woman comes with its unique set of challenges and opportunities. By following these eight steps and staying true to your passion and vision, you can build a thriving business in any industry. The same rules apply whether you’re in home staging or you’ve got your own unique product or service to sell. Embrace the journey with confidence, creativity, and excellence, and watch your dream turn into reality. 1 CREATE A VISION Your first step is to identify what you want your business to be; this really is the key to success but is often the step most people miss. This is why so many business owners fall out of love with what they’re doing and end up feeling burnt out. They have built their…

CODEWORD Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by the same number throughout this grid. Use the decoded letters given to work out the identity of other letters and fill in the grid. The alphabet list and reference grid will help you to keep track of the letters you’ve decoded. WORDWHEEL You have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each word must be three letters or more and contain the central letter. Use each letter once, and no plurals, foreign words or proper nouns are allowed. There is at least one nine-letter word. AVERAGE: 16 wordsGOOD: 19 words EXCELLENT: 26 words CELL BLOCK Fill the grid by drawing blocks along the gridlines. Each block must contain the number of squares…

I am running, as quickly as I can, on very tired legs, skittering down a short hill to the shore of Windermere alongside my brother. The water is dark, choppy and intimidating. We can’t see the exit, but the lake is littered with other swimmers taking part in The Great North Swim and they are wearing bright swim caps that are tracing a line for us towards the finish. We are not fast as we are tired, very tired as this is the last 100 metres of running of a Swimrun race. We have already covered more than a half marathon distance, 14 miles or so, and have about a mile of swimming left. I laugh as two younger men pass us just before we reach the beach. It must…