Search

Placeholder Content Image

Queen Mary’s wedding dressmaker reveals process behind iconic gown

<p dir="ltr">The Danish designer and dressmaker who designed Queen Mary’s wedding gown has recalled the “rather terrifying” process of making the iconic dress.</p> <p dir="ltr">Birgit Hallstein created the custom gown for the Aussie-born royal for her to marry Prince Frederik in 2004, as the designer recalled having to adhere to an unusual royal tradition when creating the dress. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hallstein said that she put the finishing touches on the dress on the wedding day: a decision that was mentioned to her by Mary's new mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hallstein admits the old tradition, which involves doing the final loops and stitches the morning of the wedding, also helped her process in the long run. </p> <p dir="ltr">"[It] was a thing I did because it's a tradition in some families, but honestly I don't remember if Queen Margrethe would have mentioned such a thing," Hallstein told <em><a href="https://style.nine.com.au/latest/queen-mary-of-denmark-20th-wedding-anniversary-wedding-dressmaker-birgit-hallstein-interview/9f0c57eb-2d7b-44fd-ae0b-487d1b3592a5">9Honey</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Maybe, because she knows a lot of those things... I am sure we talked about it, but anyway it was practical to gather the dress on the day because it's big."</p> <p dir="ltr">The process for Hallstein began in November 2003, as she admitted it was the most important garment she had ever worked on.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was rather terrifying," she admitted with a laugh.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's a bit like an exam, just a really big one, because if you fail everyone will see."</p> <p dir="ltr">Hallstein worked in a dedicated space at Amalienborg Palace to deliver the gown as well as the outfits worn by the bridesmaids, page boys and flower girls.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The sewing took hundreds of hours, starting in January 2004 and ending right before the wedding," she recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">There was also the added pressure of adhering to royal traditions and protocols around the use of the antique veil and the lace attachment to the petticoat, which was from Queen Margrethe's private collection.</p> <p dir="ltr">"There are rules to follow, [you're] not allowed to cut in it and only skilled repairs [are allowed]," Hallstein said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I had to hide around two or three metres of the antique lace in between layers of organza inside the dress to make sure it was not damaged by high heels, chairs, cars and carriages during the day."</p> <p dir="ltr">In a social media post to mark 20 years since the world got their first look at the classic gown, the dressmaker explained to fans that "the wedding gown consists of three parts".</p> <p dir="ltr">“There's a big tulle petticoat, edged with almost 60 yards of Chantilly lace, on this a big light blue silk bow were placed, to make sure the first born would be a son," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Hounsfield-Klein-Zabulon/ABACA/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Princess Diana's never-before-seen backup wedding gown

<p>The designer of Princess Diana's iconic wedding gown has revealed the details of a secret second dress that has never seen the light of day. </p> <p>In an exclusive interview with <em>Hello!</em> magazine, British designer Elizabeth Emmanuel revealed that she had planned for the worst in the lead up to the royal nuptials in 1981 by creating a backup dress. </p> <p>When Princess Diana married King Charles at St Paul’s Cathedral, she wore the now iconic voluptuous custom gown with a 25-foot train and 10,000 mother-of-pearl sequin and pearl embellishments. </p> <p>However, this gown may not have been the one debuted on the red-carpet aisle if news of it leaked before the big day. </p> <p>“The spare wedding gown was made just in case the secret of the real dress ever got out,” Emmanuel proclaimed. “Fortunately, it was never used.”</p> <p>Emmanuel drew inspiration from the 20-year-old’s initial design for the “spare,” pointing to a similar V-cut neckline adorned with a ruffle trim, puffy sleeves, and massive skirt in the never-before-seen sketch.</p> <p>The substitute was “pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves” and detailed with delicate pearls along a tight-fitting bodice.</p> <p>To see the stunning draft design of the spare gown, click <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/499047/princess-diana-spare-wedding-dress-unveiled-for-first-time-by-designer-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p>In the lead up to the wedding, strict security measures were put in place to prevent anyone from seeing the dresses before Diana walked down the aisle. </p> <p>“We had the dress stored every night in a metal cabinet guarded by two guards, Jim and Bert,” Elizabeth noted. “So there was somebody there 24 hours a day and we put shutters on all our windows, and we put false color threads in the rubbish bins because people were going through our bins.”</p> <p>Elizabeth, now 70-years-old, lost track of the alternate gown, which the Princess of Wales never actually tried on.</p> <p>Just before what would have been the royal pair’s 42nd wedding anniversary, Elizabeth told Hello!, “I don’t know where it went. It just disappeared.”</p> <p>However, when Princess Diana tragically died, her original gown was left to both Prince William and Prince Harry, as the historic garment now rests in Kensington Palace.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Crown Princess Mary’s iconic Carla Zampatti gown is coming to Australia

<p dir="ltr">A gown worn by Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary will be headng Down Under to go on display in an exhibition of late Australian designer Carla Zampatti’s life and work.</p> <p dir="ltr">The dusty pink brocade gown worn by the Australian-born royal for a set of official portraits in 2015 will be among over 100 designs Zampatti created over her 50-year career on display at <em>Zampatti Powerhouse</em> at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum from November 24.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other items in the exhibition will include personal items from Zampatti’s estate and even clothes borrowed from members of the public from earlier on in her design career.</p> <p dir="ltr">The gown, originally commissioned for the 2013 80th anniversary cover shoot for <em>The Australian Women’s Weekly</em>, was accessorised with historic Danish jewels in the 2015 photographs, taken at Frederick VIII’s Palace in Copenhagen.</p> <p dir="ltr">Known as the Queen Ingrid Ruby parure, the jewels include a tiara, necklace, earrings, bracelet, brooches, hair clips, and a ring, and have become the most-worn of the Danish royal collection by Mary.</p> <p dir="ltr">"At the end of the (2013) shoot she asked if she could keep the dress [and] I was delighted," Zampatti later told Fairfax Media.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She looks so beautifully regal in their 2015 official portraits. I am so proud.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When I was asked to design a gown for Princess Mary, I was thrilled. She is such a beautiful representation for this country."</p> <p dir="ltr">But Mary’s gown isn’t the only iconic garment to be included in <em>Zampatti Powerhouse</em>, with the jacket worn by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard during her 2011 US Congress address, the white jacket Christine Holgate wore while speaking at the Australia Post Inquiry, and Tina Arena’s jumpsuit that was fitted for her induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame also set to appear in the free exhibition.</p> <p dir="ltr">The exhibition is said to be the first international retrospective exhibition of Zampatti’s work, over a year after she died at the age of 78 following a fall during an opera in Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr">Zampatti’s son Alexander, who is the CEO of Carla Zampatti, said it was an “incredible honour” for his mother’s designed to go on display.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is an incredible honour for Mum’s design legacy to be showcased in a major exhibition at Powerhouse Ultimo,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mum loved the magic of fashion, the big runway shows as well as hearing her customers’ personal stories and how her designs often played a small part in moments of significance in the lives of many Australian women.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The exhibit will also be accompanied by other events, including an International Women’s Day symposium in March, late-night programs, and the showing of a new performative work by the Sydney Dance Company.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-31d76bb2-7fff-f5b7-cbed-b80831cbaee7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Frances Voigt, Marinco Kojdanovski (Supplied), Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Dua Lipa wears stunning white gown to friend's wedding – here's why it's totally OK

<p dir="ltr">Dua Lipa wore a stunning floor-length sheer white gown to her friend’s wedding and was not berated for it. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s an unspoken faux pas to NEVER wear white to a wedding but in Dua’s case it was allowed because she actually got permission from one of the grooms who designed the dress. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 27-year-old UK pop star attended the nuptials of French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus and his long-term partner Marco Maestri in Charleval, France on August 27.</p> <p dir="ltr">Simon gave the singer permission to wear the white see-through dress that had beautiful flower detailing, a thigh-high slit, matching underwear and capped sleeves dress because it was part of his autumn/winter collection.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other than the fact that it was a gay wedding which obviously meant there was no bride there to be wearing white. </p> <p dir="ltr">Dua first shot to fame following the successful release of her self titled 2017 album <em>Dua Lipa</em> and has since headlined multiple shows around the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">She is set to arrive in Australia in November for her <em>Future Nostalgia Tour</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Fans go wild over Georgie Parker’s gravity-defying gown

<p dir="ltr">A staple of most women’s wardrobes, the little black dress Seven presenter and former Olympic hockey player Georgie Parker <a href="https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/seven-presenter-georgie-parker-aflw-gravity-defying-dress-075404317.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wore</a> has proved why it’s a fashion must-have.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ebf1a38f-7fff-e387-6952-64811052ba2b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Parker stunned fans with the strapless, form-fitting dress she wore to the AFLW Awards in Melbourne in April.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_xS7wPyzb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_xS7wPyzb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Georgie Parker (@georgie_parker19)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The $316 dress from Maison Femalien features a cut-scalloped neckline, dramatic thigh-high split on one side, and goes from cinching in at Parker’s waist to grazing her ankle as a pencil skirt.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a5d0ce55-7fff-0455-8d82-579ffd186594"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Parker shared her look on Instagram in a mirror selfie, joking that she was “sponsored by Hollywood tape” and receiving a flood of compliments from fans.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_sI5mFUxt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb_sI5mFUxt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Georgie Parker (@georgie_parker19)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Looking gorgeous babe xx,” one fan gushed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“STUNNING 🔥😍,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-154308c6-7fff-227a-7d8b-f4c9a3013b51"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Omggggg how hot are u 🔥🔥🔥,” a third said.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbyARYeB6jo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbyARYeB6jo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Fitzy &amp; Wippa on Nova (@fitzyandwippa)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The sister version of Parker’s dress was spotted just a week earlier, when <em>Married At First Sight</em> favourite Ella Ding wore the frock to the Fitzy and Wippa <em>Married At First Sight</em> dinner party.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appropriately called the ‘Ella’, Ding’s dress differed in that it was considerably shorter than Parker’s and made of a ruched fabric, but shared the same eye-catching neckline.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1e991872-7fff-3940-abe1-47f6a0827d6f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @georgie_parker19 (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

"A special dress for a special day": Victoria Beckham's glamorous mother-of-the-groom gown

<p>There's no doubt that Nicola Peltz's show-stoping Valentino couture wedding dress was the star of the show at her <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/inside-the-wedding-of-brooklyn-beckham-and-nicola-peltz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent wedding</a> to Brooklyn Beckham. </p> <p>However, Nicola's new mother-in-law Victoria also had heads turning at the star-studded nuptials. </p> <p>The former Spice Girl took to Instagram to share with her followers more information about the sleek silver ball gown she wore at the ceremony in Florida, telling her audience that the dress was a creation from her very own Victoria Beckham fashion line.</p> <p>"A special dress for a special day," Beckham wrote, explaining the gown was the first Victoria Beckham couture dress to be made in the company's London atelier.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcNtertoCZu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcNtertoCZu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"The bespoke fabric was developed by one of my favourite mills in Italy, it's like liquid metal and hangs so beautifully."</p> <p>In the series of Instagram stories, Beckham said the dress took five days to create by six staff in the London workshop.</p> <p>"It's been a labour of love and I'm so grateful to my incredible team for creating something beautiful for me."</p> <p>Victoria also shared that her fashion line had designed gowns for several guests in attendance, including Eva Longoria and former Miss Universe Nadia Ferreira. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcQCQ0sIicx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcQCQ0sIicx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The fashion icon's husband (and fellow "proud parent", as she put it on Instagram) David Beckham was equally dapper in a Dior tuxedo.</p> <p>Their son Brooklyn married Nicola in an intimate ceremony at the Peltz family's sprawling Palm Beach estate in a fairytale ceremony last weekend.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

"I was like a flaming ball": Man struck TWICE by lightning shares his story

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: This article contains graphic content.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Ten years after a freak accident killed and revived him, New Zealand man Troy Hall is sharing his recovery story.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/new-zealand-man-killed-then-brought-back-to-life-by-120000-volt-powerline-electrocution-shares-story-of-survival-c-4989811" target="_blank">Speaking to<span> </span><em>7Life</em></a>, 32-year-old Mr Hall admitted he is “still battling demons” after he was struck by 120,000 volts of electricity twice in the same day.</p> <p>He hopes his story - which he has not spoken openly about before - inspires other burn victims to keep fighting.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846520/2e946d2bbca6449cab6c9484a3127404518fe165.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/804183b76228482694a00b127f46d34a" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Troy Hall suffered severe burns across more than half his body. Image: 7NEWS</em></p> <p dir="ltr">In 2011, Mr Hall was working in picking fruit in an avocado orchard.</p> <p dir="ltr">The then-22-year-old had been working outside in the rain all day, climbing up and down cherry pickers to reach the highest fruit.</p> <p dir="ltr">His father John warned him to be careful of the overhead power lines, but Troy laughed off the warning as one of the lines “crackled” above them.</p> <p dir="ltr">He now says that act was “fearless and arrogant”.</p> <p dir="ltr">As his shift was about to end, Mr Hall searched for phone reception to call his then-partner and let her know he was finishing up and heading home. He managed to reach her after climbing up a cherry picker, then he made his way back down.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was about four and a half metres away from the power line, but you know power jumps,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">What happened next was a blur for Mr Hall, but his dad has since helped him piece together the story.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just remember blacking out,” he recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair believe that, due to the wet weather, an arc of electricity jumped from the nearby powerline and delivered 120,000 volts through the right side of Mr Hall’s head.</p> <p dir="ltr">The shock instantly killed him and he dropped to the ground.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the young man was struck again, this time through his chest, which the pair believe brought him “back to life”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was only a few moments later, but it blew my chest up and restarted my heart,” Mr Hall said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It lit me up from the inside… I was like a flaming ball.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He recalled that everything went instantly dark.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t see or feel anything, I didn’t really understand what was going on,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">As Mr Hall tried to stand up, his dad came to aid and yelled at him to “stay down”.</p> <p dir="ltr">His co-workers and dad worked to try and “damp out” his body, which was engulfed in flames.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I could just hear everyone panicking and crying,” Mr Hall said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dad was yelling at me to ‘just stay in the water’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">By the time the ambulance arrived, his body had swelled up to five times its size and more than 60 percent was covered in third-degree burns.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:375.3846153846154px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846518/a817b3a257c8b33aeb00890ab6ed49564a60d6a7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/61e8e9a1fa224341babafa0f3c950cd7" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Troy spent months recovering, and says he is still “battling demons”. Image: 7NEWS</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“The doctors told me I probably would never walk or talk again,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was trying to talk but couldn’t.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite facing the possibility of losing his right leg and arm, Mr Hall thought to himself, “‘I will f***ing show you’”.</p> <p dir="ltr">A few weeks later, he took his first steps and regained his voice shortly after.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, after undergoing multiple skin grafts taken from his legs, he lost an ear and sight in his left eye.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have a prosthetic ear now, it looks so realistic - I just pop it on!” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s actually a great party trick … the kids love it,” he laughed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Hall has maintained that the last ten years have been far from easy, but that his recovery was due to his seven-year-old daughter Nevaeh.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t have gotten through this without her,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am so grateful she is in my life and I tell her that every time I see her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With help from his dad and friends Richard and Viv, Mr Hall got back on his feet and has since started his own avocado business called Crispy Avo.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I certainly underestimated the power of electricity,” he admitted.</p> <p dir="ltr">With his continuing recovery, Mr Hall said he is still coming to terms with his appearance, but that it pales in comparison to current world events.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s a first world problem,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7NEWS</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Queen Elizabeth II’s outfits exhibited in royal residences

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, a trio of her most recognisable outfits will be exhibited in the royal residences. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Royal Collection will showcase the Queen’s outfits from her accession, coronation and jubilees at Windsor castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the pieces will be the pink silk crepe and chiffon dress and coat worn by Her Majesty in June 1977 to mark her 25 year reign.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The iconic ensemble was designed by </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">royal couturier Sir Hardy Amies and a matching hat by milliner Simone Mirman. </span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845734/queen-exhibit-silver.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/307f48ed25b24399bfff029341527f20" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also among the collection will be the Queen’s Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate she wore for her coronation in 1953. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This gown took eight months of research, design, workmanship and intricate embroidery to complete in time for her Majesty’s coronation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caroline de Guitaut, curator of the displays, said the collection will showcase timestamps in the monarch’s reign, with royal fans being delighted with the insider look. </span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845732/queen-exhibit-coronation.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f32dc6586af54278b4bc786e87e863c6" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Their historic significance resonates all the more greatly given their depiction of the longest reigning monarch in British history.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Visitors to the exhibitions will also see a rare collection of Her Majesty’s personal jewellery collection that adorned these historical outfits. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the priceless pieces on show will be the Queen's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara - an heirloom wedding gift given to her by her grandmother, Queen Mary, when Princess Elizabeth married the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commonly known as Granny's Tiara, it is one of the Queen's favourite and most treasured pieces and she often wears the glittering headpiece, made of diamonds in a festoon and scroll design, to state banquets.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These exhibits will celebrate the 95-year-old monarch’s 70 year rule, which will be celebrated on February 6th 2022. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

First look at Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <p>Fans have got their first look at Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in upcoming biopic<span> </span><em>Being the Ricardos<span> </span></em>with the teaser trailer dropping overnight.</p> <p>The Aaron Sorkin film follows Hollywood couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who is played by Javier Bardem, during a production week on the set of their hit sitcom<span> </span><em>I Love Lucy.</em></p> <p>Throughout a Monday table read all the way through an audience shot on Friday, both Ball and Arnaz face challenges that could end both of their careers and their marriage.</p> <p>In the trailer, quick glimpses of the couple’s whirlwind life are shown accompanied by Kidman’s voiceover, with the first clear look at Kidman coming via the re-creation of Ball’s iconic grape stomping scene.</p> <p>Production on the movie was kept tightly under wraps with a closed set throughout, as Kidman showed on social media during filming.</p> <p>In Kidman’s recent Variety Actors on Actors conversation with Chris Rock, she stated that the biopic will not be a remake of<span> </span><em>I Love Lucy</em>, but will instead tackle serious themes.</p> <p>“The strange thing about Lucille Ball is that everyone thinks we’re remaking the ‘I Love Lucy’ show, it’s so not that,” Kidman said.</p> <p>“It’s about Lucy and Desi and their relationship and their marriage. It’s very deep actually.”</p> <p><em>Being the Ricardos</em><span> </span>also navigates the racial barriers that the couple had to face, with Desi being discriminated against for being Cuban, and Lucille fighting for him to remain on the show.</p> <p>Sorkin has written the screenplay and helms the film for Amazon Studios and Escape Artists. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch of Escape Artists are producers. Escape Artists' Jenna Block and David Bloomfield serve as executive producers, along with Stuart Besser, Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lauren Lohman.</p> <p>The film will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on December 21. Check out trailer below: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/We-MGoNaFcQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p> </p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

Fashion designer knits her own wedding gown

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A newlywed has revealed the painstaking process behind making her wedding dress over the nine months leading up to her big day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fashion designer Esther Andrews knitted her wedding dress every day while commuting to and from work.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The designer, who creates “slowly made knitwear for the modern bride” shared her story in a video posted to TikTok.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hand-knit my wedding dress on the New York subway for nine months and this was the journey,” Andrews said in the video.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Andrews explained the inspiration behind the gown was a “silly and fun” design of “space pirate” meets a “tomato patch” while panning over sketches of her dream dress.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4NlnAsAZ6u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4NlnAsAZ6u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Esther Andrews (@estherbollerandrews)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She revealed she used more than 6.4km of mohair lace yarn to make the dress, with a single ruffle on the gown using 1.6km on its own.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When it came time to sew it together, I was scared because I could only trust that it would fit - no time to go back,” Andrews said, while confirming she managed to finish the garment just before the wedding.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The below-the-knee dress featured a v-neck line, multiple ruffles, and a fitted bodice, all decorated with tiny tomatoes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I will always cherish this dress and the time that went into making it,” Andrew wrote, sharing images of her and her husband at their wedding on Instagram.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a second video, Andrews showed off her hand-beaded stockings, designed to look “like a starry sky”, which took several weekends to make.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Viewers shared their support for the designer, calling it among “the most unique of our generation”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The most creative and iconic American wedding I’ve seen,” one user commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m crying now, this is so sweet.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Andrew’s biggest fans had to be her husband, who commented, “Just so you know I’m the HUSBAND!! And if you’re thinking I’m lucky, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE HALF OF IT.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Andrews also designed her husband’s suit for the wedding, taking inspiration from NASA’s Gemini space suits.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4P97cKoGSi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4P97cKoGSi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Esther Andrews (@estherbollerandrews)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 54-piece pattern suit took Andrews a week to make and was finished just five minutes before guests arrived. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Esther Andrews / Instagram</span></em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Princess Diana's wedding gown to be displayed for the first time in decades

<p>Princess Diana fans will get the chance to see her iconic wedding dress in real life 40 years after she wore it down the aisle thanks to a new fashion exhibition opening at Kensington Palace this summer.</p> <p>Historic Royal Palaces curators made an announcement on Monday that Prince William and Prince Harry have given their permission to their late mother's gown included as the centrepiece of a new temporary exhibition called Royal Style in the Making opening on June 3 in the Orangery of Kensington Palace.</p> <p>This is the first time the gown will be on display since the Princess was in residence.</p> <p>The show will shed light on the relationship between designers and their royal clientele throughout the years.</p> <p>Other items included in the exhibition will be never-before-seen historical pieces such as a rare surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of the Queen Mother.</p> <p>“Our summer exhibition at Kensington Palace will shine a spotlight on some of the greatest talents of British design, whose work has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of the royal family across the twentieth century,”<span> </span>Matthew Storey, the exhibition curator at Historic Royal Palaces, said in a statement. “We'll be exploring how the partnership between each designer and client worked, and revealing the process behind the creation of a number of the most important couture commissions in royal history. While one of the highlights will undoubtedly be Diana, Princess of Wales's show-stopping Emanuel designed wedding dress, which goes on show at the palace for the first time in 25 years – we've got some real surprises up our sleeve for fashion fans!”</p> <p>One of the designers behind Princess Diana's gown, Elizabeth Emanuel, told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/royals/princess-dianas-iconic-wedding-dress-to-be-displayed-at-kensington-palace-in-new-royal-style-exhibit/" target="_blank"><em>People</em></a><span> </span>that getting to visit her creation at the exhibition, “will be like seeing an old friend after all these years. I was looking at the images again today and I can't believe how many sequins we sewed onto the dress. This is going to be a wonderful exhibition.”</p> <p>The wedding dress came complete with the longest train in royal history measuring at 25 feet and covered in sequins.</p> <p>The exhibition will also kick off a number of commemorative events in honour of what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.</p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

URGENT RECALL of popular food product

<p>An urgent recall of protein balls sold throughout Australia has been issued amid fears of plastic contamination.</p> <p>Food Standards Australia issued the recall for Bounce Protein Ball Cashew Caramel 40g on Wednesday afternoon. </p> <p>The protein balls can be found at Coles, Woolworths and independent food retailers including IGA, 7-Eleven, Caltex, BP, EG Fuels and United Fuel. </p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838500/food-recall-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0ba91d005b084d14818b135e158840e2" /></p> <p>The product has also been seen for sale at On the Run in South Australia and even pharmacies and online retail outlets.</p> <p>The recall has been issued “due to the potential presence of foreign matter”.</p> <p>Health food lovers have been warned that “food products containing plastic may cause injury / illness if consumed”.</p> <p>The protein balls customers should return is batch M2310 and have a best before date of 21/07/21. </p> <p>Shoppers who bought the Bounce protein ball have been advised not to eat the product and instead return to the place of purchase for a full refund.</p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Julie Bishop turns heads in stunning designer gown

<p>Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has proven yet again that she’s a fashion icon.</p> <p>Celebrating the 2020 Telethon over the weekend, the 64-year-old opted for a dusty pink, sequinned Rachel Gilbert gown that featured feathers on the lower half of the dress.</p> <p>Taking to Instagram to share a photo, Bishop wrote: “Ready for the ball.”</p> <p>Photographer Russell James gave a closer look at her sparkly gown, sharing a photo with the former politician to his Instagram stories.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGuTRrlh26f/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGuTRrlh26f/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Ready for the Ball 💃 🎉@telethon7 #telethon2020 #girlsjustwannahavefun but missing @pantondavid 😢@7perth @telethon_kids @russelljames @rachelgilbertau @margotmckinney @lorealaustralia @nadiaduca @luxehairstudio_ @emilyhstylist</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/honjuliebishop/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Hon Julie Bishop</a> (@honjuliebishop) on Oct 24, 2020 at 3:47am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>This isn't the first time Bishop has stepped out in style for a good cause and claimed 'belle of the ball' honours. Earlier this month she wore a custom-made Jaimie Sortino gown while clinging to the Cottesloe Bell for a shoot to help raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.</p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Not again! Novak Djokovic hits judge with tennis ball

<p>Not long after his US Open disqualification, Novak Djokovic bruised another line judge’s face after a stray forehand at Roland Garros.</p> <p>The tennis star admitted he had an “awkward moment of deja vu” after unintentionally hitting a ball which smashed into the head of a line judge at Roland Garros this morning.</p> <p><span>World No. 1 Djokovic for his 35th win of 2020 and a place in the Paris quarter-finals for the 14th time with a 6-4 6-3 6-3 win over Russia’s Karen Khachanov. </span></p> <p><span>However, while stretching the star threw the ball out of the frame off of his racquet and into the baseline judge sitting near him. </span></p> <p><span>The Serb went immediately to the official to check if he was okay. </span></p> <p><span>The incident follows not long after he was defaulted at the US Open in New York for swiping angrily at a ball which hit a female line judge, who was standing just behind him, in the throat.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Djokovic just sniped another line judge <a href="https://t.co/QaEMWXNrBg">pic.twitter.com/QaEMWXNrBg</a></p> — Gump Cathcart (@bubbagumpino) <a href="https://twitter.com/bubbagumpino/status/1313125127928852480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>That disqualification is the only defeat Djokovic has suffered all year.</span></p> <p><span>“My gosh, it was very awkward deja vu. I’m actually trying to find the linesperson and see if he’s OK because I saw he had a little bit of a bruise, like redness, in that place in the head where the ball hit him,” said Djokovic. </span></p> <p><span>He has now reached the French Open quarter-finals for an 11th straight year.</span></p> <p><span>“I hope he’s fine. I mean, he definitely dealt with it in a very strong and brave way. But it was a hit because I was very close.</span></p> <p><span>“Obviously because of what happened in New York, people I guess are going to make the story out of this. It has happened to me and to many other players in the last 15 years that I’ve been on the tour.</span></p> <p><span>“I’ve seen it a lot when the ball ricochets from the racquet and the frame, hits someone in the stands, or someone that is close to you or a line umpire. Yeah, it was a very awkward situation.”</span></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Miss England swaps beauty crown for hospital gown amid pandemic

<p>Miss England 2019, Bhasha Mukherjee, has returned to her lucrative medical career in trade for her crown in order to help those impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.</p> <p>The 24-year-old winner told<span> </span>CNN<span> </span>she was returning to her career in the UK after coming back from doing humanitarian work as Miss England abroad. She is returning to her job as a junior doctor at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Eastern England – which she held before she won the crown.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uoPX0gOgj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uoPX0gOgj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dr Bhasha Mukherjee (@bhasha05)</a> on Apr 8, 2020 at 10:39am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p> “I felt a sense of this is what I’d got this degree for and what better time to be part of this particular sector than now,” she explained on Monday.</p> <p>According to John Hopkins University data, the United Kingdom currently has 56,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of Tuesday morning.</p> <p>Mukherjee says her initial plans to act as an ambassador for a number of charities throughout countries including Turkey, India and Pakistan quickly had to quickly be given up after receiving messages from her former colleagues about the dire situation currently taking place in England.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9gsfeyHxP5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9gsfeyHxP5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dr Bhasha Mukherjee (@bhasha05)</a> on Mar 9, 2020 at 4:15am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p> “When you are doing all this humanitarian work abroad, you’re still expected to put the crown on, get ready ... look pretty,” she said.</p> <p>For her, there is no better time to step back from her crown and help the country in its time of need.</p> <p>“Health care staff are risking their lives for us, so let’s risk our mere leisure for a little while to say thank you to them,” Mukherjee wrote in support of the U.K’s National Health Service.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OamTtnfvN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8OamTtnfvN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dr Bhasha Mukherjee (@bhasha05)</a> on Feb 6, 2020 at 4:21am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Mukherjee says being a doctor requires her to be as creative as possible in relation to speaking to patients and “trying to convince them of taking their medication or doing a certain treatment.”</p> <p>“That’s where the art comes in, you see,” she explained.</p> <p>“That’s where the humanities and all the communication skills come in. And that was very exciting for me.”</p> <p>Mukherjee told<span> </span>CNN<span> </span>she is placing herself under quarantine for two weeks before she returns to her medical profession, but stated she is prepared and readily awaiting the new challenge that she is soon to face.</p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Bride outraged after mother-in-law buys ivory lace gown for wedding

<p>A bride-to-be has shared her mother-in-law’s gown on social media, saying that she was “a little hurt” when she first laid eyes on the ivory and lace-covered design.</p> <p>The woman, whose location is unknown, took to a Facebook wedding shaming group about the dress, asking others whether they would be upset if they were faced with the same issue.</p> <p>“My future mother-in-law sent me this picture of the dress she is considering wearing to our wedding,” she said.</p> <p>“I’m not okay with it and honestly felt a little hurt when I saw the picture. Ideas?”</p> <p>The question sparked a debate with some defending the choice of dress, saying it looks nothing like a wedding dress.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 326.46755921730175px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834930/1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b5622e8c6f5e45a2b70e16a9cf4d6be5" /></p> <p>“As far as mother-in-laws go, this could be so much worse. It’s a pretty dress and not going to be mistaken for bridal,” said one woman.</p> <p>“It’s ugly but aside from that what is the issue? It’s not white, it’s cream,” said another.</p> <p>A third added: “I mean it’s not cute but it’s not bridal either”.</p> <p>But others showed sympathy, saying they understood why she was upset.</p> <p>“This is a 9th grade semi formal dance dress and totally disrespectful,” said one lady.</p> <p>“Why are we all pretending this isn’t a classic monster in law move,” said another.</p> <p>Many agreed that the poster needs to speak to her future mother-in-law about the white-looking dress, especially if it was going to upset her on the day.</p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

“Ball of flames”: Firefighter’s distress call after watching waterbomber plane crash

<p>An audio clip has emerged of a ground staff member calling for help following the crash of an aerial water tanker in southern NSW.</p> <p>In the distress call aired on the <em>Today</em> show, the staff could be heard calling the Rural Fire Service (RFS) command after witnessing the plane plummet in Eurobodalla on Thursday afternoon.</p> <p>“Fire comms… message red, speak to your captain. Message this is red,” the person could be heard saying.</p> <p>“Yeah fire comms... It's just a ball of flames... over.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Three fire fighters have tragically been killed, their water-bombing aircraft crashing in New South Wales. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/F2dprzAU0H">pic.twitter.com/F2dprzAU0H</a></p> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1220416053613879296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>All three US aerial firefighting specialists on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tanker died in the incident. The plane was fighting the Clyde Mountain fire when it crashed to the ground and exploded in a “large fireball”, NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.</p> <p>“Three remarkable men, coming down here to Australia once again this season, helping us to save and protect people but tragically this year, they won’t be going home to the United States,” said Commissioner Fitzsimmons.</p> <p>The Commissioner said while the aircraft’s explosion was “absolutely a loss to the aviation capabilities”, the RFS could “adapt and accommodate the loss of [this asset] as we have a number of others operating in NSW”.</p> <p>Investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are set to visit the crash site to collect evidence.</p> <p>“Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant stakeholders so appropriate and timely safety action can be taken,” the bureau said in a statement.</p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

“Super brave girl”: Rafael Nadal's heartwarming gesture towards ball girl

<p>Rafael Nadal’s sweet gesture towards a ball girl has moved tennis fans around the world.</p> <p>The world number one player was on track to score a straight-sets win against Argentina’s Federico Delbonis on Thursday.</p> <p>But on the third set of their second-round match on Rod Laver Arena, Nadal slammed a forehand that hit a young ball girl on the head by accident.</p> <p>The girl gave a thumbs up to indicate she was fine, but Nadal and Delbonis went over to check on her. Nadal lifted the girl’s hat before kissing her on the cheek, drawing cheers from the audience.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">😱(🎥<a href="https://twitter.com/Eurosport_RU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eurosport_RU</a> ) <a href="https://t.co/IR5B2Z42fu">pic.twitter.com/IR5B2Z42fu</a></p> — doublefault28 (@doublefault28) <a href="https://twitter.com/doublefault28/status/1220321521077489665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Nadal went on to win the match 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-1.</p> <p>“For her, probably it was not a good moment,” Nadal said after the match. “I was so scared for her, honestly.</p> <p>“She’s a super brave girl.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">*𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓉* ballkid moment, narrated by <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> 📚<br /><br />❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2020</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/tElLurAnQ1">pic.twitter.com/tElLurAnQ1</a></p> — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1220324139296329730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2020</a></blockquote>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Princess Mary's royal finery at lavish New Year ball

<p>Princess Mary and her husband Crown Prince Frederik have rung in the new year with a lavish ball in Copenhagen.</p> <p>Other Danish royals were in attendance, but the guests of honour were Princess Mary, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie.</p> <p>This event is marked on the Danish royal’s calendar, as they wear their finest gowns and jewels for the occasion.</p> <p>Princess Mary’s stunning look for the night was quickly revealed as she stepped out of the car, and it’s one that fans have seen many times before.</p> <p>She wore a claret-coloured velvet gown by Birgit Hallstein, one of her favourite designers. Princess Mary first wore the dress in 2007 and has worn the same gown to previous New Year’s Eve dinners. However, she has changed her look slightly.</p> <p>It was seen on Princess Mary in 2012 and 2014, with the 2014 version having a choker added in the same fabric.</p> <p>The dress was also worn for a set of official portraits in 2015.</p> <p>The stunning jewels have also remained the same, as Crown Princess Mary wears the Danish ruby parure. These jewels have been in the royal family since 1869, but date back to the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte in France.</p> <p>The jewels are solely used by Princess Mary and include a tiara, earrings, bracelet, hair clips, brooches and a necklace.</p> <p>The length of the earrings and necklace can be adjusted with ease.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see Princess Mary wearing the dress over the years.</p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Princess Diana’s iconic gown goes on sale

<p>Throughout her lifetime, Princess Diana had been known for her iconic style and fashion-forward looks.</p> <p>One of such looks was the midnight blue off-shoulder velvet evening gown by Victor Edelstein, which she wore when she danced with <em>Saturday Night Fever </em>actor John Travolta during her visit to a White House state dinner in 1985. The princess’s twirl around the dance floor with Travolta became one of her most memorable moments.</p> <p>In June 1997, two months before her death, Princess Diana auctioned off many of her dresses including the Edelstein gown. The <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a29829294/princess-diana-john-travolta-dance-dress-auction/">proceeds from the clothing</a> went to the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund and the AIDS Crisis Trust.</p> <p>Now, after numerous changes of hands, the famous dress is once again made available as part of Kerry Taylor Auctions’ upcoming <em>Passion for Fashion </em>auction.</p> <p>“This is considered one of the most important and iconic gowns ever worn by the princess,” <span>Lucy Bishop of Kerry Taylor Auctions told <em><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/princess-diana-dress-john-travolta-gown-white-house-auction-a9206966.html">The Independent</a></em></span>.</p> <p>The <a href="https://kerrytaylorauctions.com/Catalog/?id=457#tab-2">online listing</a> reads, “This dress must have been of special significance to the Princess because in 1997 she chose to wear it for her portrait by Lord Snowdon - with the same necklace she had worn twelve years earlier at that infamous event.”</p> <p>The dress is expected to sell for between £250,000 and £350,000 when the auction takes place in London, December 9.</p>

Beauty & Style

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.