How Mounjaro weight-loss jabs mean I'm wearing a bikini at 68, reveals NADINE DORRIES. I've covered up for 6 years but now I'm ready to show off my body - here's how I did it
My 20s were spent hopping on and off sunbeds. The smaller the bikini and the more I could tan of my body, the better – it made me feel confident, sexy and alive.
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Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
ALEXANDRA SHULMAN'S NOTEBOOK: Why women are losing out in the arms race
While women storm ahead in so many areas of life, they seem to have regressed when it comes to their arms. It's now high summer and I've lost count of the number of times a woman has said she can't wear some item or other because it will expose her arms. As if the sight would induce terror in whoever saw them. Bare arms are one of the nicest things about summer clothes. There's something liberating about the feel of the sun and air on your skin and many of the prettiest dresses and tops are sleeveless. But queasiness around baring our arms prevents many women from wearing them. It's crazy. Personally, although I don't go in for a rigorous workout regime, I've always liked to go sleeveless. And though the years haven't improved the condition of my skin, I'm determined to carry on in spite of the social pressure to cover up unless you have the 'perfect' body. The same goes for wearing a bikini. Looking back at photographs from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, women of all ages appeared far less squeamish about exposing their arms – sleeveless summer frocks and evening wear were worn by everyone. They had no ambition to show off triceps and biceps as hard as tennis balls. They were fortunate that the notion of spending hours lifting weights to sculpt your pectorals had not yet become the norm. But now even women who are perfectly sensible in almost every other way are ludicrously unconfident about their arms. OK, it's hard to name a part of the body most women are confident about. But we're talking about an obsession here. Forget about getting a PhD or becoming a High Court judge – toned arms have become today's trophy status symbol. Last week, The Times's fashion writer Anna Murphy suggested this could be 'a subconscious desire on the part of the modern woman to ape the physicality of her male counterpart, the better to compete in what is still, for the moment, a man's world'. Hmm, I don't think so. There's a lot to tear apart in that sentence, but I will confine myself to disputing the idea that any woman wants her arms to look like a man's. No, unfortunately it seems to be yet another example of women fretting about their bodies and judging those of others. Wobbly or not, our arms have done a lot of heavy lifting for all of us. We're jolly lucky to have them and we should stop giving them such a hard time. ...and knees have a tough time, too It's a myth that the late Queen had no interest in fashion. She may not have rushed into the latest trends but she had strong opinions on what she wore. A new exhibition at Buckingham Palace featuring more than 200 pieces from her wardrobe has just been announced for next spring. Hopefully, it will include some information on what she thought about them, too. Daisy Goodwin has a very entertaining play, By Royal Appointment, which explores the late Queen Elizabeth's relationship with the people who worked on her wardrobe. The thinly disguised characters are based on her favoured designer Sir Hardy Amies, milliner Freddie Fox and long-standing dresser Angela Kelly. The competition for the Queen's attention is funny and moving. In one scene, the Australian milliner character enthuses about the idea of shorter hems for the monarch. 'You have lovely knees, Ma'am,' he gushes inappropriately. 'We don't want to hide them away.' I'm not sure the real Sir Hardy would have been nodding away in agreement. He once told me that he regarded knees as by far the ugliest part of a woman's anatomy. Hot off the press... a £45k ironing job Should anyone think that the position of laundress or lady's maid belonged to the far distant past, the London domestic agency Greycoat Lumleys is advertising for someone to take care of wardrobe management in a private household with expertise in hand-washing delicate items, ironing and alterations. The salary is between £40,000 and £45,000 – somewhat more, I suspect, than a laundress used to make. Can Wes cure the NHS of its ills? Last weekend, I spent eight hours in the A&E of a London hospital with a family member who was suffering acute abdominal pain. Thankfully, the doctor's strike had not yet begun – although perhaps it would have spared us seeing four different doctors before finally being admitted. I'm a great fan of the NHS but its processes are baffling. Each doctor's questions started from scratch: 'What's your date of birth? When did the pain start? Can you tell me a bit about what's going on.' This to a woman in such pain she was vomiting. Even in the fourth interview, after several doses of morphine, the questions remained the same. It's insane that at every stage of this drawn-out process a new doctor appears with practically no knowledge of anything that has happened previously. There appeared to be no shared information they could access. When Wes Streeting speaks of plans to digitalise the NHS, I hope they will do something about the A&E admissions process. It can't come soon enough. Meantime, emails from the NHS about my own health regularly alert me to the date of appointments that have already taken place. Hosting? It's only a plate of antipasti Perhaps it's a long career as a magazine editor but I have a list of words I would like banned. 'Iconic' when referring to a handbag, 'hottest' when describing a restaurant and 'invite' instead of invitation are long-standing peeves. But my new pet hate is 'hosting'. As in 'we are hosting tonight', when all you mean is a couple of people are coming over for supper. I know this makes me an old person, since it's my Gen Z acquaintances who use the term, but to my ancient mind it sounds as pretentious as the elaborately 'curated' (there's another word) antipasti the meal will no doubt include.
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Lidl to sell £7.99 dupe of £29.50 Marks & Spencer essential that is perfect for summer holidays
LIDL is selling a £7.99 dupe of a £29.50 Marks & Spencer essential that is perfect for summer holidays. Shoppers can find a trendy pair of sandals from the middle of the aisle for just a fraction of the price of the original version from M&S. Whether you're planning to stroll the streets of a sunny destination or simply want something to slip your feet into on the way to the pool, these shoes are worth the investment. The Esmara Ladies' Brown Sandals will be available for just £7.99 from Lidl. Product details These leather mules from LWG-certified tanneries have moulded footbeds for extra comfort. These EVA soles are also lightweight to ensure all day wear without issue. And the shoe straps also feature buckles for an easily adjusted fit. These sandals are available in women's sizes four through 7.5. Shoppers can find these from the Lidl middle aisle from Sunday, July 27. M&S version A similar version is available at Marks & Spencer for a slightly higher price. The Suede Buckle Footbed Mules are available for £29.50, in both black and khaki. "Add some luxe texture to your favourite sunny day looks with these suede mules," said the product description. Primark's new £10 summer top is the perfect & Other Stories dupe "The easy slip-on design features comfy footbeds set on practical low heels for all-day comfort." Manufacturers described the shoes as "effortlessly stylish" and "easy-to-wear". These shoes are available in women's sizes three through eight. The sandals have received an average rating of 4.6 stars out of five from M&S customers. Shoppers confirmed that the shoes fit true to size. Hottest fashion trends of 2025 Fabulous' Fashion Editor Clemmie Fieldsend shares the biggest trends from the high street. The East/West Bag Baguette bags have had a good run, after returning from the 1990s' shoulders of Sarah Jessica Parker to modern-day fashion icons, like Hailey Bieber. In 2025, the East/West bag is a similar but elongated shape and has long, thin straps that are easy to throw over your shoulder. They've been on runway models' arms at nearly ever designer show - think Burberry, Givenchy and Bottega Veneta - and are hitting the high street now, too. Powder pink Bright fuchsia pink had its day after the release of Barbie in 2023 and now the more polished and expensive-looking pale shade is taking over for 2025. Pantone may say that it's the year of Mocha Mousse, but the catwalks say otherwise! From Prada to Erdem, the subtle look was all over the spring/summer catwalks, worn head-to-toe or on its own. If the sugary shade is too girly for you, then look to sharp suiting for a androgynous take on the colour. The shell jacket The '80s classic is back, but with a sleek and minimal new twist for 2025. We all know we're likely to see rain for most of spring, so your practical coat of choice should be a cagoule jacket. Depop revealed one of its big trend predictions for this year is retro sportswear, with surges already seen in '80s windbreakers'. Seen everywhere from the stylish streets of Copenhagen to the Miu Miu catwalk, now mums who have an emergency raincoat crumpled underneath their pushchair are very much in fashion! The turn-up jeans While the shape of jeans remains the same for this year and barrel-legs will still be everywhere, the way we're styling them is different. This season, transform your wide-leg, baggy denims into turn-ups. For this look, size doesn't matter, so while deep turn-ups are a hit from jean trend-leaders Citizens of Humanity, a slight fold is still just as good - but only as it's just one single fold. Peep-toe shoe Get your pedicures booked in sharpish, as this season your toes are the main event. After a long hiatus, the peep-toe has been welcomed back into the fashion fold, with brands like Hermes, Miu Miu and Tory Burch showing plain and embellished footwear in this style. From mules to pumps and clogs (yes, clogs will be around too!), there are lots of different styles that are set to sweep the high street. Sheer blouses See-through looks have always lived on the catwalk, but have rarely filtered into everyday life - until now. Designers Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford loved sheer looks on their S/S '25 catwalks and M&S even had sellout success with its black sheer pencil skirt last season. Expect to see more sheer looks lining supermarket aisles and high street shops in the form of skirts, tops and frocks. More on fashion buys Plus, the £12 jeans available from Sainsbury's, they're perfect for summer and autumn. Another Sainsbury's fashion buy looks fresh out of the 1920s. The retailer also has a £26 dress that shoppers say is perfect for summer getaways. And an £11 Tesco dress that works "year round" and is super flattering around the arms. Another Tesco printed midi dress is available for £12, it disguises your tummy and is perfect for summer.
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Kate Ferdinand, 34, showcases her incredible figure in plunging black bikini as she shares loved up summer family snaps with husband Rio
Kate Ferdinand wowed in a plunging black bikini as she took to Instagram on Saturday to share a collection of loved up summer family snaps. The former TOWIE star, 34, gave a glimpse of her recent holiday to Portugal, which she dubs her 'home from home', alongside her husband Rio and their children. In one snap, the brunette beauty flaunted her toned physique and soaked up the sun in the swimwear as she beamed in shades. Meanwhile her and Rio, 46, appeared loved up as they walked hand in hand, looking effortlessly cool in their summer attire. Kate flashed a hint of her abs in a black crop top and white trousers before wowing in a simple black cut out dress in another shot. The star also posted a fun moment of her splashing in the sea with her son Cree as they walked through the waves along the shore. Kate Ferdinand, 34, showcased her incredible figure in plunging black bikini as she shared loved up summer family snaps with her husband Rio to Instagram on Saturday The former TOWIE star, 34, gave a glimpse of her recent holiday to Portugal, which she dubs her 'home from home', alongside her husband Rio and their children Rio looked every inch the doting father in the post as he was seen cuddling their youngest child Shae while relaxing in the shade. Alongside the post she penned: 'July has been full of memories (& food) in our home from home'. The podcast presenter is a stepmother to her husband Rio 's three children: Lorenz, 18, Tate, 16 and Tia, 14. And she also has two children with Rio: son Cree, born in December 2020, and daughter Shae, born in 2023. Other snaps saw her looking glamorous in a plunging black dress as she posed with Tia - whose face they don't yet show. Kate also shared a sweet snap of Shae and Cree looking out over the sea as they wore matching swimwear. It comes after Rio shed light on the early stages of his relationship with his now-wife Kate earlier this month, and admitted his kids' reaction decided the future of their union. Appearing on Kate's podcast Blended, the former footballer revealed how he dealt with introducing a new romance after losing his beloved wife Rebecca, and being left a single father to his three children. Kate also posted a fun moment of her splashing in the sea with her son Cree and they walked through the waves along the shore Rio looked every inch the doting father in the post as he was seen cuddling their youngest child Shae while relaxing in the shade Other snaps saw her looking glamorous in a plunging black dress as she posed with Tia Kate also shared a sweet snap of Shae and Cree looking out over the sea as they wore matching swimwear Rebecca died aged just 34 after a short battle with breast cancer. She appeared to be in the clear only for a scan to reveal the disease had spread to her bones five weeks before her death, prior to which she planned her own funeral. Amid his grief, Rio met Kate, who he began dating in 2017, however he revealed her introduction to his family was slow moving. The couple wed in Turkey in September 2019 and share two children; Cree, four, and Shae, who turns two later this month. Discussing introducing his relationship to his children, Rio told his wife: 'It's hard, you don't really get over it if you do it wrong, if it's done abruptly without conversations and done the wrong way. 'But if people are saying no, the kids are saying no I don't know, man. I'm just lucky, fortunately we didn't get to that point... 'But if my kids have said no, we're probably not here right now. Because we don't get the chance to get to where we are, where we're like madly in love... 'Because as soon as the kids say no - we were in love at that time, but it was still early enough to think where you go, but on both sides, you go, 'The kids ain't accepting me, I can't get into this. It's too much stress.' Rebecca died aged just 34 after a short battle with breast cancer . She appeared to be in the clear only for a scan to reveal the disease had spread to her bones five weeks before her death, prior to which she planned her own funeral (Rebecca and Rio pictured in 2009) Rebecca's death left Rio a single father to Lorenz, 18, Tate, 16, and Tia, 14 (the family pictured with Kate in 2020) 'And I'm going, 'The kids ain't happy. They're going to have to be number one.' And I think there's a lot of relationships that would end up because of that... 'I don't know how you push on after you've just found someone, you fell in love with them, you two together, and the kids aren't involved in that... 'And then when they get involved and not happy, I don't know how you still move forward together like that unless you separate it.' On navigating the introduction stages, he said: ''I do think it's important in the way that you introduce this new person into the house. We very much were on the basis, we talked a lot before we even broached the idea with the kids... 'We brought Kate in as a friend first, they started seeing her around at different things that we go into friends' houses, et cetera. Kate will be there. And Ronnie, the dog, which is a great softener as well... 'But those moments of familiarity and, 'Oh, it's only Kate,' soften that next move where you go, 'Right, guys,' and you bring that. I just think we were really much about bringing them into the conversation, make them feel, have some ownership over the whole situation... ''Listen, guys, you remember Kate?' Let's see where we go then, Dad.' I think if you do it wrong, I've been in a situation, my own family recently, where it's done wrong. And I've been part of the ramifications of that and the repercussions'.
