21 Interiors Picks That Celebrate the Beauty of the Female Form
From peachy booty vases and ceramics to abstract line silhouettes, you can say goodbye to bare walls and lacklustre shelves as these celebrations of the female body add a fun and flirty twist to any space.
Who run the world? GIRLS. If it wasn’t already obvious, we’re pretty into celebrating, uplifting and championing women in all that we do, so it probably comes as no surprise that we’re head over heels for the female form interiors trend that has taken Pinterest by storm in the past 12 months. From peachy booty vases and ceramics to abstract line silhouettes, you can say goodbye to bare walls and lacklustre shelves as these celebrations of the female body add a fun and flirty twist to any space.
inspiration from the female form has transcended the high street and small businesses everywhere, popping up in the form of prints, candles and soft furnishings galore.
For the experts in bum ceramics (we see you), the name Anissa Kermicheprobably rings a bell as the original designer of the Love Handles vases which took Instagram by storm in 2020. The adoration for these vases has since inspired and fuelled the female form trend, appearing in our daily scroll well into 2021 with no sign of slowing down. And whilst her designs are a little on the spendy side (£2.5k on a vase anyone?), inspiration from the female form has transcended the high street and small businesses everywhere, popping up in the form of prints, candles and soft furnishings galore. We don’t know about you, but turning our homes into a flirty and fabulous female shrine has never been more appealing …
In this blog post, we’re celebrating women and their wise words, sisters and their stories, females and their fierce bodies of work.
Hankering for an empowering, educational and inspiring read? You’ve come to the right place.
In this blog post, we’re celebrating women and their wise words, sisters and their stories, females and their fierce bodies of work. From essayists past and present and breakout names to literary powerhouses and contemporary greats, these are the books that have advocated for the lives and truths of women and challenged the way we think about gender.
What exactly does the F word mean? This curation of funny, powerful and personal essays by a plethora of diverse contemporary female voices and celebrities explores everything from misogyny and masturbation to period tax and motherhood. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
2. A Room of One’s Own – Virginia Woolf
First published in 1929, Woolf’s essay on women’s struggle for independence was a call to arms and a seminal feminist text. Her thesis is simply that in order for women to write, they have must have money and a room of their own. That is – the freedom and the space to fulfil their true potential. We don’t ask for much. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
3. Dear Ijeawele – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
From the best-selling author of We Should All Be Feminists and Americanah, Dear Ijeawele gets right to the heart of 21st century sexual politics. Adichie’s childhood friend and new mum Ijeawele wrote to ask how she should raise her baby daughter to be a feminist and this 15-piece manifesto is her funny, perceptive and utterly galvanising response. Leave it to Adichie to make her mark in 60 pages and under. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
4. Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible – Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene
Featuring interviews with Susan Wokoma, Lady Leshurr and Denise Lewis, Slay In Your Lane is a true insight into what it’s like to be a black girl today and a powerful toolkit to help black women everywhere take control of their lives. It will inspire, uplift and resonate with many. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
5. Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo
Evaristo’s Booker Prize-winning novel follows the interconnected stories and struggles of 12 black female and non-binary characters, diverse in age, background and lived experiences. Brimming with humanity, Evaristo’s nuanced and achingly relevant novel flows like a lovesong to black womanhood and quite frankly deserves ALL the awards. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
6. Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions – Gloria Steinem
A collection of timeless essays from the trailblazing feminist Gloria Steinem, ranging from the hilarious satire “If Men Could Menstruate’ to the moving tribute to her mother “Ruth’s Song”, and the famous exposé “I Was A Playboy Bunny”. Purchase the book via Amazon here.
7. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women – Naomi Wolf
If you’ve ever stood in the mirror, poked at your hips and wished for a smaller, thinner, more symmetrical version of yourself that doesn’t exist, Wolf’s words will strike a chord. Her iconic critique of the oppressive function of beauty standards through the ages is a clarion call to freedom from the shackles of pretty-pressure. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
8. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath’s legendary novel closely parallels her own life and experience with depression. It centres around Esther Greenwood, a young promising writer interning at a fashion magazine in New York who should be having the time of her life, only she’s not because she’s stifled by a misogynistic society and spiralling into mental illness. The fig tree quote will make you feel every type of emotion. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
9. A Vindication of The Rights of Women – Mary Wollstonecraft
Dubbed one of the mothers of feminist theory, Mary Wollstonecraft’s seminal text challenged the notion that women only exist to please men and called for women and men to be given equal opportunities in education, work and politics. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
10. Gender Outlaw – Kate Bornstein
“I know I’m not a man . . . and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m probably not a woman, either. . . . . The trouble is, we’re living in a world that insists we be one or the other.”
First published in 1994, Bornstein’s fearless and prescient text dismantles gender binary, unpicks our notions of male and female and questions why society defends the binary system so vehemently. In the foreword, Bornstein caveats their work by acknowledging that the way we speak about gender is always in flux and the language used in this edition will no doubt fall short, even in its revised 2006 version. That said, Gender Outlaw invites us all to consider what kind of world we live in. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
11. Bad Feminist – Roxane Gay
Ever felt like you’re a sh*tty feminist? A flawed woman with a penchant for Vogue magazines, misogynist songs and all the pink? From Fifty Shades of Grey to Chris Brown, Bad Feminist is a razor-sharp, witty and insightful look at the glossy myths and contradictions inherent not only in the feminism movement but within the human condition. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
12. The Power – Naomi Alderman
In this speculative fiction/dystopian feminist fantasy, Naomi Alderman asks what if the matriarchy had all the power? It’s a woman’s world now and they can kill with the touch of a finger… Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
13. The Periodic Table of Feminism – Maria Bate
The Periodic Table of Feminism is an empowering look at the feminist movement through the international figures who have shaped it. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org here.
13 Questions with Elle McNamara AKA @Bambidoesbeauty
We caught up with Elle to chat about her beauty journey online, creating skincare content and what she's up to in 2021.
First off, how are you and how is your 2021 going?
Thank you for asking, you know, 2021 has been far more hopeful for me (and for everyone I think!) and I’m feeling more focused.
Can you tell us about your career online and how it has evolved?
The origins of Bambi Does Beauty started way back during University (I created a print fashion magazine titled Bambi as my dissertation piece). As I got older, my interest in beauty was more heightened than ever, and that’s when Bambi Does Beauty was born. Originally it was Youtube and blog posts, then Instagram became my outlet. First, there were shelfies and the occasional selfie, now I’ve turned the brand into something more (I hope!) – skincare information and guidance for my audience, alongside an insight into my mental health journey with my posts #BambiDoesLife with a big old dose of aesthetic thrown in for good measure!
We love your IG bio ‘A less is more approach to beauty’ – what can people expect from your content online?
Thank you! My content has definitely diversified, originally it was just pretty pictures, now I want to educate, guide and relate to the people who choose to follow me. My story highlights are where you’d find most of my educational skincare content, tips and tricks and “Skinfo”. Then there’s #BambiDoesLife, possibly my most exposing content series to date. I feel so happy to be able to share who I really am, what I’ve felt and have a bit more of a laugh, and for it to have been received so well!
We know skincare is just important if not more important than makeup, what are some of your top tips for glowing skin?
Hydrate hydrate hydrate! Not just plonking on a heavy moisturiser but actually layering different textures to get a long lasting dew. I’m also a fan of chemical exfoliation, it can be a real pick me up for skin that’s looking dull and tired.
People often neglect the skin on their bodies, what are some of your most-used body brands?
This is so true! Up until a few years ago that was me too. I have a memory of someone commenting on how scaly my legs were and that’s just stuck with me! So now I’m really dedicated to my body care routine, and my legs are dolphin soft now haha. I love an exfoliating body cream – it does all the hard work for you without needing to scrub. I adore the Gallinee Body Milk, Dr Dennis Gross Body Peel Pads, Amanda Harrington Glycolic Body Scrub, and you can’t go wrong with a big tub of CeraVe moisturising cream!
Can you tell us about some of the features you host on your IG?
I’m loving hosting my latest feature, Skinfo. It’s basically a Q&A format where my followers enter their skincare questions, and you’ll not be surprised to hear that most people have the exact same concerns! I love that this is just there on my highlights for everyone to refer or just to have a nosey. I’m also really enjoying putting together Guides, (Instagram’s newest feature) where I collate my Top Ten products from each skincare category at different price points, I update this when a new fave comes in too!
We love your Glamour column! How do you find inspiration for topics?
Thank you! It often just pops into my head! I can be lying in bed and be like “Aaaah that’s it!” and once I have a concept I’m ready to write. I don’t tend to plan them out, I like to write freely and from personal experience.
What are you currently working on?
A few things will be changing for me in the next few months and I’m really excited for the next chapter! I’m working on building longer-term relationships with brands, and continuing to build an informative platform that encompasses humour and reality. In the hope it will help or perhaps inspire my audience (particularly my younger audience) to have confidence in themselves.
Who are some of your favourite beauty follows online?
I adore me some LC, that’s @laucapon on Instagram! Everything she puts out brings me joy, and it’s not often you can say that about a person online. I’m also really enjoying Dr Soma, @dr.somaskin, she shares such informative skincare knowledge but makes it accessible and quite visual too. Lastly, I love Peony, @peonylim, she has such a kind and humble presence, and for someone so beautiful who shares such luxurious content, I think that’s very rare and special.
What does your perfect weekend look like?
Ooooh, I’ve lost sight of weekends! It would probably be either a trip to a Cotswolds spa with my Mum, eating scones and getting massages. I also love visiting where I grew up down South, my Dad and I are planning a visit this Summer and I can’t wait for all the nostalgia!
What do you always carry with you?
It used to be my phone but I’ve started banning myself from it when I go to bed until I’m up the next day. So at the moment, I’d say my Milk Makeup Lip Mask (it’s the best product I’ve ever used on my lips!).
What would your last ever meal be?
Literally, this is something I think about a lot haha. At the moment it would be my mum’s homemade vodka pasta, followed by a box of Krispy Kremes. Lol.
What is one positive piece of advice you could give to our audience?
Wardrobe staples like the 'little black dress' or classic white shirt are always high on a stylist's list of essentials, and for those that might feel intimidated by colour or are yet to nail their personal style, you can't go far wrong with these neutral shades.
There’s something about black and white dressing that exudes cool, chic and confident, and if there’s any way of channeling those moods more often then you best believe we’re all over it. Wardrobe staples like the ‘little black dress’ or classic white shirt are always high on a stylist’s list of essentials, and for those that might feel intimidated by colour or are yet to nail their personal style, you can’t go far wrong with these neutral shades.
And who says black = boring?! The likes of Cara Delevingne, Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Lana Del Rey are some of the sleekest, sexiest ladies around, are if we’re taking style notes from anyone it will absolutely be them.
Monochrome dressing is also great for switching your lookup with accessories too, giving you the freedom to go wild with trend-led bags, shoes and jewellery safe in the knowledge that the basics of your outfit are built on solid foundations. Add a spritz of your fave scent and bon voyage friends, you’re well on your way to snatching the award for most stylishly dressed at the Voddy Revs on 21st June.
Zoe
I love a good monochrome outfit so this was very up my street! I love this roll neck white dress and I feel like this is perfect for this time of year as the sun starts poking his head out but it’s not quite spring linen weather yet. I’d pair it with a leather jacket, some chunky black boots and my &otherstories bag that I basically wear with every outfit!
I’m manifesting a date night that doesn’t involve slippers and beige lap dinners at this point. I can’t wait to attempt to stagger home with a belly full of espresso martinis and bar nibbles again, and I think this monochrome outfit will ease me back into the swing of things nicely. I love the Cinta The Label Rosie cardi! I’d team it with wide jeans, a pair of mules and an oversized black trench. If I can remember how to get dressed that is…
Monochrome is very much in my wheelhouse ESPECIALLY black and white as that’s pretty much all I wear and it took me a good 25 years to realise I’m absolutely fine with that. This is a classic jeans and a nice top outfit I’ll be wearing in April when the sun is shining and meeting friends outside. I based it around the earrings as they’re beautiful, and topped it off with this gorj Chloe bag that I have no hope of buying but hey, that’s why we call it weekly wants not weekly gets.
I’m not going to lie I’m normally more of a colourful kinda gal, but there is something about a monochrome outfit which feels very Cool Girl which is always nice to fake haha. I’ve wanted some knee-high boots foreverrrr (mainly inspired by Ariana Grande) and these white ones are so fun and 70s. I’ve seen these fluffy collared cardigans everywhereeee on TikTok and this black one is super cute and can literally be chucked on with any bottoms.
I love monochrome dressing. This is definitely a trend I’m already on board with. Takes literally no effort and you can still look super smart. I tend to go for monochrome if I’m heading out straight after work, in normal life. I’ll opt for some high waisted black jeans, a white t-shirt and then just accessorise the shit out of it. I can see myself now, standing at a bar, ordering a Long Island Iced Tea.
It’s already been endorsed by Oprah, Reese Witherspoon’s a fan and Adele said it was the book that changed her life, so something tells us we’re going to be roaring all over the place when we’re done here.
With International Women’s Day just around the corner, it seems fitting that our latest book club title comes from a female force to be reckoned with.
Glennon Doyle is an author, activist, speaker, mother and most recently, a woman who reclaimed her wild. In her third self-help memoir, Untamed, Glennon explores the power and peace we discover when we follow our instincts and start living a free, authentic life.
It’s already been endorsed by Oprah, Reese Witherspoon’s a fan and Adele said it was the book that changed her life, so something tells us we’re going to be roaring all over the place when we’re done here.
Keep scrolling to read the team’s reviews! But first, a reminder of the blurb:
Who were you before the world told you who to be?
Part inspiration, part memoir, Untamed explores the joy and peace we discover when we stop striving to meet the expectations of the world, and instead dare to listen to and trust in the voice deep inside us. From the beloved New York Times bestselling author, speaker and activist Glennon Doyle.
For many years, Glennon Doyle denied her discontent. Then, while speaking at a conference, she looked at a woman across the room and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There. She. Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high but soon she realised they had come to her from within. This was the voice she had buried beneath decades of numbing addictions and social conditioning. Glennon decided to let go of the world’s expectations of her and reclaim her true untamed self.
Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanising wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is also the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honour our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts.
Lareese
Admittedly, non-fiction is not in my wheelhouse but Glennon Doyle’s memoir ‘Untamed is definitely the kind of no-nonsense guide to self-discovery everyone should read once. It unpicks everything we’re taught to believe is the right way to live as women and as mothers, and it shows us another – wilder – way to live. In 2021, abandoning other people’s expectations in favour of our truest, most authentic self should be a given but Doyle’s memoir is our literary kick up the butt to stop pleasing and start living. I wasn’t a huge fan of the short entries and vignettes as it felt a little like mammoth subjects didn’t always get the page-time they needed nor deserved but I can see why the structure needed to be as untamed as the very story it held. It’s a beautifully human, intimate and empowering read that’ll feed the fire in your belly from the very first metaphor.
Rating: 3/5
Would you recommend it? It’s worth a read!
Holly
I know they say don’t judge a book by it’s cover but this just isn’t one I’d ever reach for. I’m not a huge fan of non-fiction and find them quite hard to read. The main theme of the book is motherhood, and how motherhood saved Glennon Doyle. But I am not a mother, nor do I plan on being any time soon. So a lot of it felt a bit irrelevant to me. It did have some more relevant sub-themes, like learning not to care what other people think of you. But I’m not someone that particularly cares about that anyway. Any book that includes the representation of different families and the LGBTQIA+ community is always a winner for me.
I’d like to read this again when I have a daughter, who’s maybe around 5 years old and be interesting to see if it makes more of a profound effect on me then.
Rating: 3/5
Would you recommend it? To certain people
Charlotte
I’m not normally a non-fiction lover so I wasn’t sure what to expect when reading Untamed but I was so pleasantly surprised! I’d heard from friends and on a couple of podcasts, I listen to that this was a must-read and I totally get the hype. I’m going through a bit of a self-love/discovery journey and this book gave me so much food for thought in this sense. The permission to feel all the feels was so needed right now in a world in which we’re encouraged to carry on through unsettling times and Untamed acted as a real tonic in moments of self-doubt or worry. I must admit I had a couple of eye-roll moments at some of the anecdotes shared but overall I think I gained a lot from reading this book!
Rating: 4/5
Would recommend it? To the right person, yes!
Danielle
I’ll preface my review by saying I don’t read a lot of non-fiction books, I just love stories being told and that’s exactly what Glennon Doyle does. We get to learn about her experience whilst applying it to our personal lives. I think it’s incredibly eye-opening however it didn’t always feel that cohesive and the end got quite repetitive towards the end. I always find it hard to write a review for a memoir because that is someone’s personal story, it’s not like they could have written it differently it’s their life! If you’ve never read much feminist literature you’d could definitely learn a lot from Untamed, I’d be selective about who I recommended this to but overall it was poignant and smart.
The Unsung Joy of Reading, In Celebration of World Book Day
Books became the one government-approved friend we were allowed to invite into our homes and like babushka dolls in paper or e-reader form, they had more people and places hidden inside of them, waiting for us to read into being.
Stories have always mattered but never more so than now. When our worlds got smaller and darker way back when in 2020, many of us turned to fiction to fix it.
We craved stories a whole world away from our complex reality – tales of book binding magic and make-believe realms where characters were still allowed to hug. The art of doing nothing was no longer just a nice phrase to caption our Sunday photo dump with but a legal requirement.
Staying at home gave us a unique opportunity to indulge in the simple pleasures we were always too preoccupied and too booked to appreciate. Without the usual noise of The Daily Grind, we noticed sunrises narrated by birdsong and small talk over the garden fence, even the bubbling of the kettle five times a day seemed to do extraordinary things for our wellbeing – the soundtrack of small victories and bright sides.
Plans gave way to dogeared paperbacks and introspection, and we quickly rediscovered the estranged joy of reading for pleasure, from our sofas, our doorsteps and every available patch of hope-giving sun.
Scanning inky ideas from left to right was all we had, so we sat still in the safety of our four walls, took a deep unknowing breath and watched the murmurations of a writer’s mind scatter and dovetail before us.
Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.
Plato
On rainy days, we let go of the pressure to seize fresh air and took provisions from our bookshelves instead. Like hygge hunters, our instinct told us to forage for our softest corners and fold ourselves away, as if we were sweet piles of weekend laundry or daily newspapers for pressing.
We sought comfort in all its motherly shapes; in midday baths and too many cups of coffee. The vanilla essence of our ordinary lives turned out to be the big beautiful breadcrumbs upon which we’d rely on to find our way home.
Books became the one government-approved friend we were allowed to invite into our homes and like babushka dolls in paper or e-reader form, they had more people and places hidden inside of them, waiting for us to read into being.
We yearned for words that would rest on our chest for months and rob us of sleep; the kind we’d frantically tap into the notes section of our phones at midnight alongside the shopping lists, passwords and baby names.
As each of those stories unfurled in our hands, blossoming like pavement flowers between bad news and political f*ck ups, we told ourselves that we’d read a few more chapters before making the bed or sorting the drawer of miscellaneous cables but we couldn’t seem to tear ourselves away from this other life we were clinging to. Somehow living vicariously through fictitious people and their often crumbling lives, makes returning to ours that little bit sweeter.
In fairer seasons, fresh cut grass and cordial daisies beckon us to kick off our sandals and sit under a tree, a face full of new freckles and a handful of fiction – a breeze just confident enough to fuss with the page numbers below it. In that moment, we’re all barefoot bookworms with nowhere else nor better to be, plucked from reality and sown amongst plot twists, leaning against grand oaks and chomping on the best apple you’ve ever had.
That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
As lockdown’s final denouement plays out, albeit tentatively, we must try to remember the soul tonic our fictional and non-fictional friends afforded us, and despite the return of full diaries and weekends bookended with pub gardens and dancing in the moonlight, we will always need stories to bring us back to life.
How necessary it is to lose ourselves in the make-believe to face the real world once again.
In celebration of World Book Day on the 4th March, we caught up with one of this years £1 authors Holly Jackson to chat about her best-selling series A Good Girls Guide to Murder, her prequel Kill Joy and life as an author in lockdown.
First off, how are you and how is your 2021 going?
Hello and thank you so much for having me! I am well – ish! The well is qualified with an ‘ish’ because on top of all the pandemic related stuff of 2021, I am also having one of the craziest, busiest times in work and personal life. This week alone I have three massive work-related things going on. It’s World Book Dayand I’m one of the authors who wrote a £1 book for the event, called Kill Joy.
It’s World Book Day and I’m one of the authors who wrote a £1 book for the event, called Kill Joy. Holly Jackson
It is also the publication of my sequel in the United States AND I have an encroaching deadline for the edits on the third and final book in my YA Crime Thriller series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. So it is all go go go on the work front. And in my personal life, I’ve literally just moved house so I am also on a very steep DIY learning curve, and don’t currently have any furniture! So lots of exciting things going on, but I am looking forward to a time when life has calmed down a tad and I can chill (and own a sofa on which to do said chilling).
This week we’re celebrating World Book Day, how are you getting involvedthis year?
Yes – very exciting! I love that there is a day dedicated to the love of books and reading. To be honest, almost every day of my life is a World Book Day, as books and stories occupy about 300% of my time. This year I will be getting involved by shouting about my WBD title, Kill Joy, which is a small prequel story set just before my first book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. I think the £1 book scheme is such an incredible idea, and I remember when I was a kid at school being SO EXCITED when the book tokens were handed around. I remember dragging my poor mother to Waterstones IMMEDIATELY after school ended. I am incredibly honoured – and honestly still quite surprised – that I am playing a part in that this year: little Holly would never have believed she’d grow up to be one of those World Book Dayauthors! I am also incredibly impressed that WBD is managing to power on through a pandemic and school closures. If ever we all needed a time to celebrate and be distracted by books, now is the time!
A lot of our audience will know you from your series A Good Girl’s Guide toMurder, and your prequel Kill Joy is part of the World Book Day £1 book list,what can we expect from it?
Kill Joycan be very neatly summed up by its tagline: Six suspects. Three house. One murder . . . I had a lot of fun writing Kill Joyover a few weeks last summer. And honestly, it was quite tricky for me to write such a small book. My full-size books run from around 93,000 words – 130,000 words, so fitting an entire mystery plot into just 25,000 words was a really fun challenge.
essentially set out to create the most fun murder mystery / escape room type party imaginable, because I love a good murder mystery dinner party – one of those post-pandemic things I am very much looking forward to!Holly Jackson
In Kill Joy, we join Pip before the events of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, as she attends a murder mystery party hosted by her friend Connor. The game is set in the roaring twenties at a remote manor on a private island – but really just in Connor’s dining room – and the larger-than-life characters have to work out who murdered the patriarch of the family, Reginald Remy. I essentially set out to create the most fun murder mystery / escape room type party imaginable, because I love a good murder mystery dinner party – one of those post-pandemic things I am very much looking forward to! I hope readers love the story and feel like they are attending this mysterious, jam-packed evening alongside Pip, and will be forming their own theories as to WHODUNNIT, as well as spotting all the easter eggs and nods to events from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and the sequel Good Girl, Bad Blood.
Why is World Book Day so important and what do they do?
World Book Day changes lives by encouraging a love of books and shared reading. Their mission is to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. They say that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, parents’ educational background or their income. WBD want to see more children develop a life-long habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them. And I am thrilled to be a part of that this year!
How can our audience get involved with World Book Day and help raiseawareness for their cause?
This year, World Book Day are looking into teen and young adult reading habits by running a nationwide research project. Anyone wanting to help raise awareness can go to www.worldbookdaysocial.com and look at their mission statement. Also, just talking about reading and the power it can hold is so important! Books are as magical as films, podcasts, YouTube, video games, and there are corners of the internet dedicated to a love of reading – find yourself at home with other book lovers on #Bookstagram.
Why do you think reading at a young age is so important?
I think that encouraging a love of reading is so important because books are, quite honestly, powerful and magical items. They can transport you to other times and places, both real and not, allowing you to explore history or hypothetical futures. They can teach you an incredible array of skills; there are so many random facts I know now that I learned from a book.
Books can transport you to other times and places, both real and not, allowing you to explore history or hypothetical futures. Holly Jackson
I learned that you should eat charcoal after ingesting poisonous berries from a fantasy series – I hope to never need that knowledge, but you never know! But even more importantly, books can teach you about yourself, and provide a safe space when the real world is a bit scary – something I think we have all needed this past year. I think the pandemic has proven – certainly in my eyes – that when times are tough, people turn to the things that bring them comfort, whether its re-reading your favourite books series, or binge-watching a new show on Netflix. Stories, in whatever format they come in, are always there for us when we need to escape.
What are some of the other £1 books you think our audience would love?
Alongside my £1 book, Kill Joy, the brilliant Derek Landy has written a teen title for World Book Day this year, Skulduggery Pleasant: Apocalypse Kings. Older readers might also enjoy Skysteppers by Katherine Rundell and The River Whale by Sita Brahmachari.
We know you started writing from a young age, what would your advice beto anyone who would like to start writing?
My biggest piece of writing advice might sound a little contradictory. Of course books and reading are a major part of writing, but those aren’t the only places where you can learn to hone your writing and storytelling skills. I think that watching films and TV shows and playing narrative games can be incredible resources in learning how to craft a plot, or perfect your characterisation. Screenwriting can be especially handy for anyone looking to write something pacey and fast-moving. Storytelling doesn’t only happen in books, and I think that there are incredibly valuable lessons to be learned in exploring other story formats, and then cherry-picking the best parts of them all! Beyond that, I would say not to be alarmed by other writing advice that tells you: You must write everyday to be an author. It just isn’t true. I do not write every day. I think, actually, in a single year, there are more days when I am not writing than when I am. That’s not to say I’m not working – there are a lot of jobs involved in being an author, but part of my process is taking a lot of time to research, and plot and plan the story, before I ever put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard as it were).
What are your top tips for getting into reading?
Find a genre that excites you! There are so many books out there, your perfect read is just waiting for you to find it. If this is your first foray into reading, try finding something that is similar to a TV show or film series you enjoy. Buzzfeed often make fun listicles in the form of ‘If you enjoyed – insert show – then you’ll love – insert book.’ A huge number of shows and movies are actually adaptations from books, and if you want to get ahead of what is looking like the next big Netflix hit, then I recommend reading the fantasy series Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, which I loved.YA is a great place to start for reluctant readers, because even if the books are long, they tend to be very pacey and page-turning to keep your interest.
What does your perfect weekend look like?
Great question! I’m actually about to pick up a puppy in a few weeks – so excited!!!! – so I’m going to cheat slightly and design my perfect weekend for a few months in the future.
And in a perfect weekend after the pandemic, I cannot wait for drinks outside in a sunny pub garden and to be able to see friends and family again.Holly Jackson
It will involve a huuuuuuge breakfast and then going on a muddy dog walk (I just got new wellies so the muddier the better). Followed by more playing with the puppy, and then lying on the best place on the sofa and playing PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, or binge-watching a show on Netflix, saying ‘just one more’ when we’ve already said that three times. And in a perfect weekend after the pandemic, I cannot wait for drinks outside in a sunny pub garden and to be able to see friends and family again.
What do you always carry with you?
Lip balm! I literally cannot be without it. My body has developed some kind of dependence to it now so if I go for more than say 5 hours without applying it, my lips shrivel up like a skeleton. This is not helped by the fact that I am consistently losing my current lip balm. When I moved house, we found a Lip-balm Graveyard under my old bedside table!
12.What would your last ever meal be?
This is a tough choice between either Nutella pancakes (English kind) or a cheese board spread with camembert and port salut and great chutney and crackers. Great . . . now I want cheese. BRB.
13.What is one positive piece of advice you could give to our audience?
This is a slightly strange one, but – get enough sleep! I only worked out recently that when I am in the actual writing stage of writing a book, I need around 9 and a half hours of sleep for my brain to be functioning properly and cope with the output and the constant working out of tricky plot problems. I feel like I have uncovered a true life hack here, and I am unashamed of my 9 ½ hours – although recently with my house move it has been more like 5 or 6 hours sleep a night, so I need to heed my own advice.
As we begin to emerge from our year-long loungewear cocoon (albeit still reluctant to give up our comfortable braless existence) and ride out what is hopefully absolutely definitely the very last leg of lockdown, here’s a few ideas for how you can pass the time between now and freedom. What do you say, one more banana bread for old time’s sake?
Klaxon: the tentative we’ll-believe-it-when-we-see-it roadmap to jeans and a nice top recovery is actually happening and sitting on a bench is nearly legal again.
Soon enough, we’ll be roaming around in an arid pub garden somewhere with a gaggle of pals, ordering a lukewarm white wine without the substantial bowl of soup to go with it and trying to relearn how to be sociable creatures again. And we can’t ruddy wait!
As we begin to emerge from our year-long loungewear cocoon (albeit still reluctant to give up our comfortable braless existence) and ride out what is hopefully absolutely definitely the very last leg of lockdown, here’s a few ideas for how you can pass the time between now and freedom. What do you say, one more banana bread for old time’s sake?
1 Delight in the hell of the school run small talk again. What a novelty.
2 Realise that out of the 1,037 things you bought in a previous lockdown life, you can wear approximately none of them
3 Book the 22nd June off work for personal development
4 Despair at the thought of actually having to reconnect with your estranged bras, wherever they may be
5 Get to work on your ‘songs I’m going to cry at this summer’ playlist
6 Start planning your comeback body by doing absolutely nothing because your body is a wonderland 24/7/365 and there’s a special place in hell for anyone who suggests you need to change for summer ‘21
7 Circulate Phil Mitchell memes to all squad WhatsApp groups like it’s your job
8 Delight in pissing off the neighbours with your noise because you have a life again and nothing else matters. Until you have to knock on their door at 1.15am to reclaim the hammock that just landed in their pond…
9 Wish nightclubs would have a soft relaunch strictly for those of us who would be in the overs category on X Factor. Special queue jump offer for those with a bad back.
10 Realise you have no authority over your hair anymore. No authority at all.
11 Exercise your right to feel genuinely excited about sitting in someone else’s garden, knowing full well you still have no intention of going. It’s just nice to be included.
12 Stress yourself out at planning another virtual Mother’s Day / Zoom tutorial addressing her forehead. Love you mum.
13 Admit you’d happily go to Frankie and Benny’s out of choice at this point. Regrettably.
14 Raise a glass for International Women’s Day and all the legends in your life
15 Get weirdly emotional at the prospect of cooling things off with the delivery guy. You’ve got places to be and parcels to miss as of 29th March. We pray he takes the breakup well.
16 Ponder how you’ll ever be able to enjoy casual sex again if you’ve got to stop to get your covid passports out
17 See if your feet can remember how to behave in heels…
18 And immediately require ibuprofen. Can’t believe we used to call this niche pain living.
19 Hope to dear god that in this new post-social-distancing world, the clammy awkward handshake shall remain outlawed
20 Wonder how socially spent you’re going to feel once you’ve used up all your energy on 21st June. Bring it on.
This week we're sharing the picks that have become essentials in our WFH routines and that have helped make both small and mighty differences to our productivity and mental health.
Ahh the home office. The tiny stretch of kitchen table. The uncomfortable chair that does nada for your posture. The sofa post 3pm when the afternoon is dragging. If you were anything like us then you may have optimistically assumed the whole WFH malarkey was going to be a quick stint of luxurious lie ins and access all areas to the snack cupboard. But alas here we are, almost 12 months later admitting defeat and the necessity of a routine, proper desk situ and with the knowledge of what we need to get sh*t done on the daily.
Whether it be calming house plants, fresh flowers, a pinboard for your meeting scribbles or a big ol’ bottle of H2o, we each have the items that keep us ticking over and motivate us when the day feels to drag.
Whether it be calming house plants, fresh flowers, a pinboard for your meeting scribbles or a big ol’ bottle of H2o, we each have the items that keep us ticking over and motivate us when the day feels to drag. This week we’re sharing the picks that have become essentials in our WFH routines and that have helped make both small and mighty differences to our productivity and mental health. If nothing else it gives us permission to justify another aesthetically pleasing notebook.
Zoe
This might seem quite random, but I love fresh flowers around my workspace, just a small vase! So a subscription to a flower delivery is always a nice way of having a fresh new bunch to brighten your space, especially as spring approaches. I’ve also included a nice lamp, I love a bit of mood lighting! Notebook is obviously an essential, and this one from A Good Company [ad – ambassador] is made from stone so completely waterproof and so lovely to write on. Lastly, I will always light a candle and my ultimate fave for this time of year is Baies from Dyptique!
Good vibes is what I’m seeking and good vibes is what I’m getting from this delicious combo of items that make the 9-5 feel like a breeze. First things first (I’m the realest), water! Ahh the age old essential. I’ve become somewhat lazy in walking the whole 10 steps to the kitchen of late so having a jug of water to keep me hydrated without needing to move a muscle is what I call a good use of my time. This Surviving and Thriving desk pad from Sighh is the mantra I need in the times when I am not thriving (often), and is the perfect size for mid-meeting notes and reminders. Some other posi accessorises include my healing stones which keep the good vibes flowing, and this adorable mini H Style print which honestly makes my desk space 10/10 more desirable.
I like my working area as clear as possible (though it rarely is!) So my desk choices are minimal and serve a purpose. Love a good sanitiser spray as it sinks in quickly and this one smells incredible. Obviously, a candle and it should obviously be pink but any will do great for giving you that warm, cosy glow. Hydration is vital and a water bottle serves as a reminder, especially if it’s also pink. Trinket tray for any snacks or if you want to take off your earings at 3pm like I often do. A bit of greenery to help you feel more at one with nature.
I feel like I have now perfected my WFH set up after a whole year of doing it! Which to me seems absolutely wild, the longest but shortest year ever?! I am houseplant obsessed, so of course, I have a big old plant plonked on the corner of my desk. Oliver Bonas sell lovely pots as well! I think a nice coaster for your desk is a must too for that morning coffee, I have one with my initials on it which I love. Having a tray to pop all your bits and bobs on too is always handy, like pens, lip balms, etc. Papier sell the most beautiful diary’s, which are of course great for staying organised and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Lastly, everyone needs a boujie pen for writing notes with, papersmiths are the best and you can buy refills!
I was finding working from hove very uninspiring, so did a little makeover on my workspace. It does make working from home marginally less dull, although I would still like to be back in the Office. Plants bring me peace, as do sloths, so they are a must. The pin-board helps me stay organised and is not as ugly as traditional pinboards. Then the rest are accessories which look nice and help me keep the mess at bay.
We’ve been working from home for an entire year now – how WILD is that? I like to think we’ve all become experts at finding tiny wins and small victories by now and making sure my desk offers 10/10 sweeping views and manicured vistas of pretty stationery, candles, aesthetic AF coffee cups and fresh flowers makes ALL the difference to my writing mood. Even if they’re nearby or just in my peripheral vision, it’s enough to make me feel quietly content as I hunch over my laptop. I’m obsessed with all the Papier journals but the Liv & Dom collaboration is my all-time fave and I’m not afraid to admit, I buy a journal a month knowing full well my handwriting will never be worthy enough to fill them. They’re works of art.
This week is my last week before I head off on my maternity leave so it feels appropriate to talk about how I made my WFH desk work for me as well as it has up until now. I always try and have a nice water bottle with me to encourage me to stay hydrated, the bigger the better. My Momager notebook, a gift from Zoe, which I love, stays firmly by my side for all my calls and meetings. I would be totally lost without my MiGoals “get shit done” to-do lists. I write a new one at the start of each week which really helps keeps me on track and focused. Finally, I like a tidy desk space so anything to keep me organised and clutter-free is a must-have.
Does Your Love Life Need A Roadmap to Recovery? This Dating Guru Shares Her Expert Advice
In this blog post, we caught up with relationship expert and Vice President of Dating.com, Maria Sullivan, to talk pursuing romance in the middle of a pandemic, spicing up your Zoom chat and how to get the most out of virtual dating.
The pandemic has seriously changed the way we date. If it was tough to meet people before, it’s a particularly haunting experience now. The once additional online portal to potential lovers has since become the – only – way to connect with fellow singles, which significantly shrinks the pool of hair wash-worthy soul mates and presents a new wave of dating hang-ups.
It’s not all bad news, though. In the absence of IRL dates, bare-skinned shoulder brushes in bars and smouldering looks across a candlelit table set for two, we’ve got the luxury of a slower, more sensual pace. We are woke for the real deal and less willing to compromise where compatibility and emotional chemistry is concerned and that can only be a good thing.
Are we all in agreement that a weak ass wifi signal is THE most accomplished vaginablock?
We’ve got the time to give our hearts their due care and attention and form more meaningful connections than say, a quick swipe and a knee-jerk shag, devoid of the kind of carnal wanting and sexual frustration virtual dating in the middle of a pandemic so kindly affords us. Are we all in agreement that a weak ass wifi signal is THE most accomplished vaginablock?
If you’re all swiped out and feeling deprived of physical intimacy and affection, or if your once vivacious, memoir-worthy dating life is dying a slow death on Zoom, we know just the woman who can help.
In this blog post, we caught up with relationship expert and Vice President of Dating.com, Maria Sullivan, to talk pursuing romance in the middle of a pandemic, spicing up your Zoom chat and how to get the most out of virtual dating.
How do you actually go about asking someone out?
Ask in a way that doesn’t require an immediate response – for example, ‘I’ve been thinking about it and I’d love if we could hangout. We should do something soon.’ Leaving things opened ended to start is very effective, as it gives that person a moment to consider what things could be like, without catching them off guard. It’s also best to ask in person. Feel free to drop hints through text or on social but making that move in person establishes that you really have thought about this, which demands a certain level of respect.
Dating during lockdown is HARD work, how can you know if a virtual connection has the potential to turn into something good IRL?
A virtual connection has the potential to turn into something good IRL if you are noticing signs such as:
Butterflies: You get excited every time you get a notification from your virtual date or you get nervous to have a video chat with them
Commonalities: If you share similar interests and have a lot of things in common
You start to miss them even when you haven’t met in person. Missing someone you have never met isn’t common, but if you start to get those feelings for your virtual date, that could be a sign that the relationship will work out IRL.
How to shake up a virtual date so conversation flows?
Always have a set of questions prepared for your virtual date. This way, if you are starting to run out of things to talk about or just need an ice breaker to get the conversation started, you will have plenty of options in your back pocket!
Some examples of good questions for a date include:
Question: What do you do for a living?
Why: This question is a good ice breaker. People spend most of their time at work, so it good to get an idea of how they spend their days.
Question: What has been your favorite vacation?
Why: Everyone loves going on vacation and talking about what they did that made it so great. Asking this question on a first date will open up a conversation about where your date has traveled and if you are both into the same types of vacation destinations.
Question: Would you rather…?
Why: Playing would you rather is a great way to fill any awkward silence and it will also tell you more about your date than you were probably planning on finding out. It is important to keep the questions silly and fun. Don’t ask anything too crazy.
Question: What’s the most interesting fact you know?
Why: People are full of interesting facts. This is a fun question to ask to find out what your date knows, and you might even learn something new.
How do you conquer first date nerves?
Hit the gym before your date – Instead of letting all of your nervous energy bottle up, hit the gym and let it all out. This tactic helps to get rid of those first date jitters not only because it will help you relax, but it will also get your endorphins flowing creating a sense of confidence and happiness.
Have a glass of wine – Having one glass of wine will help your body relax a little before your date and put your mind at ease. However, it is not a good idea to show up to a date drunk, so just try to stick to one glass for now.
Put your date in the friend zone for the night Maria Sullivan
Put your date in the friend zone for the night – Telling yourself that you are just meeting up with a friend is a lot less nerve-wrecking than meeting a potential romantic interest for the first time. By friend zoning your date for the first date, it will help to reduce your anxiety and lower your fear of rejection.
Listen to your favorite upbeat music – Keeping yourself distracted before a date is a good way to help first date jitters because you won’t be over thinking everything that can go wrong. The best way to keep yourself distracted is to blast your favorite music. You will be too busy singing and dancing to overthink the night.
Just Breathe – When in doubt, breathe it out. If you can’t seem to get rid of your jitters, find a comfortable place to sit and breathe. Taking multiple deep breaths will help to relax your body and ease your mind. Breathe in calm, happy thoughts, and breathe out any tension and worry.
How to move on and get back into dating after a tough breakup?
Make sure you are feeling your best. Being absent from the dating scene for an extended period of time might have you feeling out of touch. Nothing is sexier than confidence, so make sure you take the time to refresh your wardrobe, practice yoga or workout, take new pictures for your online dating profiles and do whatever it takes to boost your self-esteem.
Get online. See what the internet has to offer. There are lots of different platforms that cater to different preferences, find what interests you and create a profile.
Maria Sullivan
Take things slow. Jumping straight back into dating after being in a relationship for a long time may be weird at first. Test the waters by starting conversations with multiple people. Once you feel you have gotten back into the swing of things, you can take the next step and meet for coffee or dinner.
How to keep the spark when you’re in a long term relationship / new parents and spending so much time at home during lockdown?
Plan a date night once a week! Whether it be in person or over video chat, date nights are important because it is good to spend quality time with just your partner, giving them your full attention. Daily schedules can get hectic and it might be difficult to have in-depth conversations with your S.O. regularly. By taking time once a week to devote a night just to spending time together and catching up, will help to keep and even strengthen your relationship.
What’s your number one tip for dating confidence?
As the famous saying goes, confidence is key. Participating in a virtual date can be a little scary because you might not know the other person that well, or it might be awkward talking through an electronic device. Being confident in yourself and believing the date will go well, will lead to a better outcome. Be yourself on the date, tell jokes, funny stories, etc. and show your date your true confident personality. Confidence is an attractive quality, especially during a potentially awkward setting such as a virtual date.
My top tip for dating confidence is to just be yourself. When getting to know someone on a date, don’t be afraid to let your true personality shine because you could be sitting in front of someone that you will spend the rest of your life with. If a person doesn’t like / connect with your personality, then they aren’t your match.
Meeting parents for the first time is always a big deal, any tips to calm the nerves and give the best of yourself?
Meeting parents for the first time is very nerve-wrecking, but just breathe and be yourself. Parents love when you ask questions and give them a sense of who you are. Even though it might be difficult, try to be as outgoing and as personable as you can. Really show them who you are.
What do you think dating will look like in the future? Will more people decide to stick to virtual dates before IRL dates do you think?
With virtual dating, you can connect with people all over the country and really see who is out thereMaria Sullivan
Virtual dating will add another normalized option of finding a partner. A lot of time, people are limited to who they meet because of where they live. With virtual dating, you can connect with people all over the country and really see who is out there, making finding your other half a little easier. Once, the COVID-19 outbreak dies down, people will be able to go out again and mingle, but a lot will still keep virtual dating in their back pocket just to keep all options open.
What are the absolute dos and don’ts of dating, particularly virtual dates?
Do look presentable – Even though you are probably sitting in your home for the date, still get dressed up and look your best. You want to show the person you are interested in that you care about the date and that you took time to get ready to talk to them
Don’t be in a loud crowded room – Find an empty quiet space where you can hear each other and won’t have outside distractions. You want to make sure your date has your full attention, just like if you were out at a restaurant.
