fashion

A BELOVED clothing store that has been in business for nearly 50 years has launched a massive sale ahead of its closure.

Ginger, in Norwich, will shut for good on June 7 after the owners were forced to make an “incredibly difficult decision”.

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The shop was founded by David and Rodger Kingsley in 1978 following the success of their sister company Jonathan Trumbull in 1971.

Beckie Kingsley broke the sad news on social media that her family’s shop was soon to be no more.

The store manager blamed the current economic climate and the aftermath of Covid-19 for the business’s hardship.

She said: “It’s with truly heavy hearts that, after 46 unforgettable years, we have made the incredibly difficult decision to close the doors at our beautiful, beloved and historic Timber Hill home.

“We’ve weathered many storms over the decades, but there’s been ongoing challenges of today’s financial climate – coupled with the lasting impact and huge shifts within the retail landscape since Covid.

“This led us to ask – does it still work for us? After deep reflection, the answer, sadly, is no.

“We’ve had the privilege of watching generations grow, celebrating precious life milestones, sharing joys and deepest sorrows.

“Being part of people’s stories has been beyond a privilege – more than some may ever know.

“They’ve always been more than just customers – they’ve become wonderful friends.”

Ginger is one of the city’s oldest businesses and loyal customers rushed to share their praise.

“You will be missed! Sending hugs,” one wrote.

Another commented with a sad face emoji.

Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets.

One of these include Smiggle, known for its colourful, quirky pens, lunchboxes and school bags, which revealed it is shutting up shop at the Darwin Centre in Shrewsbury.

Meanwhile, family business B.D Price, a beloved toy and bike store in Dudley, West Midlands, announced its closure after 160 years.

The 84-year-old owner blamed the cost of living crisis for a drop in sales and the costs of running the business skyrocketing.

Rising living costs leaving shoppers with less cash to spend and an increase in online shopping have battered retailers in recent years.

In some cases, landlords are either unwilling or unable to invest in keeping shops open, further speeding up the closures.

Smiggle isn’t the only stationary shop shutting its doors, more WHSmiths stores are set to close this month.

Sports Direct axed its Newmarket Road store in Cambridge on April 18 while Red Menswear in Chatham in Medway, Kent, shut for the final time on March 29 after selling men’s clothing since 1999.

Some advice: If you love something, set it free — even the Miu Miu heels.

This was the notion that two friends, Quinn Shephard and Francesca Goncalves, were discussing in a sun-kissed setting (a “pool somewhere,” Shephard recalls). They wanted to barter their old clothing, but that was a sticky prospect in Los Angeles — the scene is riddled with suspicious stares from thrift store employees and digital cold wars with teenagers on Depop. There’s pomp and circumstance at every turn.

Kristen Vaganos and Kate Mansi help a shopper try on some shoes.

(Yasara Gunawardena / For The Times)

“So many people are like: I go to Wasteland or Crossroads and I get $3,” Shephard explains. “They’re not nice to me.”

Shephard and Goncalves wanted to start a closet sale that felt more like a fun hangout with friends. So one day last summer, Shephard and Goncalves hit the streets of Silver Lake, asking small businesses if they’d host an event that they were calling Outfit Repeater L.A. Shephard jokes that Goncalves is the “mayor of Silver Lake” — the kind of Gatsby-like woman who makes Los Angeles feel like a small town, chatting with strangers with an endearing openness. Finally, they arrived at Constellation Coffee, a contemporary, sleek coffee shop. To their surprise, the manager agreed to host Outfit Repeater L.A. that upcoming Sunday.

“She’s used to indie filmmaking, where you have to go up and ask people for things, and there’s power in that,” Goncalves says of Shephard, the director of TV shows including the Hulu drama “Under the Bridge.” Goncalves works in Stanford Medicine’s genetics department.

With their event fast approaching, Shephard and Goncalves created a blitzkrieg of advertisements across social media and posted fliers on lampposts throughout the neighborhood to drum up excitement. “We literally put up fliers until 2 am. It’s so funny because Quinn doesn’t do anything unless it’s 100%, and I’m like that too,” says Goncalves.

Clockwise from left: A shopper looks at a skirt. Seller Samantha Rose and Liv Hoffner. Outfit Repeater L.A. co-founder Francesca Goncalves talks with seller Mitch deQuilettes. (Yasara Gunawardena / For The Times)

The first Outfit Repeater L.A. event was a success, drawing a crowd of fashion enthusiasts and women who wanted to sell their beloved wardrobes directly to buyers, bypassing the intermediary of a thrift store. Women attendees eagerly inquired about selling their own clothes at the next event, offering up locations and contacts. “New coffee shops wanted to host us, and new girls wanted to sell,” Goncalves says. “It snowballed into this thing where it’s just getting bigger and bigger, completely by accident.”

Since then, Outfit Repeater L.A. has garnered a reputation as the Eastside’s hippest trading post for “it” girls, creatives and fashion trendsetters. Sellers have included independent film darlings like Geraldine Viswanathan and Francesca Reale, as well as fashion influencers with enviable style, such as Macy Eleni.

Despite its newfound fame, at its core, the closet sale is inclusive and accessible to people of all income levels. “I wanted to keep it very accessible. I charge a seller fee that’s so low, just to cover expenses. It’s not just vintage resellers or influencers that can afford to sell,” says Goncalves.

Outfit Repeater L.A. co-founder Francesca Goncalves.

(Yasara Gunawardena / For The Times)

Goncalves attributes the success of the event to a hunger for social events that offer an alternative to the monotony of bar hangs. “People are tired of the bar scene,” she says.

Shephard explains that the appeal is simple: “It’s like going to a party with your friends for the day, plus you make money.”

At a recent Outfit Repeater L.A. event at Lamill Coffee in Silver Lake, actor Kate Mansi was selling her wardrobe after discovering the event through a friend’s recommendation. “I’m always selling stuff on Instagram,” Mansi says. “It’s nice to do it face to face. Clothes have a story. It’s nice to hear the story of the piece you’re inheriting.”

Kate Mansi in front of her closet rack.

(Yasara Gunawardena / For The Times)

Mansi adds, “I have a very Virgo system with my closet where I turn the hanger backwards if it’s something I haven’t worn, and if in a year, I still haven’t worn it, it must go.” On this Sunday, one of those items was a well-loved blue polka-dot romper with puff sleeves, which Mansi found at a vintage store years earlier, and she sold it for $20. Another was an All Saints trenchcoat, priced at $40, and a gray A.L.C. blouse, for $30. A classic denim Levi’s jacket found a new home for $30.

Mansi parted ways with a black dress by Jonathan Simkhai, one of her favorite designers. To the woman who bought it, Mansi wisely prescribed that she wear the dress casually with flats or boots.

At a time when fashion retail has shifted online due to the pandemic, an in-person thrifting event has been warmly received by the community. “I’m focused on each sale being a unique thing that people walk away from, having gotten a cool piece and making a few new friends and maybe a lover or boyfriend,” says Goncalves.

Alena Nemitz, who has been creating social media content for Outfit Repeater L.A., met her partner of five months at one of the events. “I was selling, and they were walking through and introduced themselves to me,” she says. “Now we’re dating, which is so cute.”

Eleni, who wrote a book on thrifting called “Second Chances,” was one of Outfit Repeater’s earliest sellers and champions. Growing up with a single mother in Dayton, Ohio, Eleni explains that she was bullied for thrifting during her childhood and is overjoyed to see a new generation embrace it. She believes some of the newfound eagerness for thrifting comes from an increased awareness of the devastating impact of fast fashion. “When I was a teenager, I wasn’t seeing videos on my phone of the inside of a Shein factory,” she says. “The curtains have been lifted, and there’s no way to claim ignorance as to where things are coming from anymore.”

Outfit Repeater L.A. has built a community of shoppers excited about clothing, Eleni explains. “Everyone is gassing each other up about how fabulous they look,” she says. “I love seeing people’s faces light up over other people’s things that they’re ready to be done with. It’s less [about] people trying to flip a profit and more people just trying to swap their clothes, share their clothes with each other.”

Goncalves describes the endearing experience of spotting items she sold from her closet on other women around Silver Lake. The world suddenly feels smaller and warmer. “I think clothes are so personal, but they are fleeting in a way,” she says. You love something and you want to pass it on, but it’s still your life and your ecosystem, even if it’s not right for you anymore.”

A furry friend passes through the event.

(Yasara Gunawardena / For The Times)

Those Trumps never miss the chance to sell their merchandise.

Friday morning, on the heels of her well-received speech at the Republican National Convention, prospective first daughter Ivanka Trump showed just how much she takes after her father: Her official Twitter account tweeted, “Shop Ivanka’s look from her #RNC speech” to her 1.97 million followers, and a link to a Macy’s page that featured the polyester-and-spandex “sleeveless studded sheath dress” from her eponymous fashion line.

The tweet must have worked; the $158 dress, which was made abroad, sold out.

First lady Michelle Obama, another fashion plate, also has the power to move merchandise. Known for her eclectic tastes — from unsung American designers to J. Crew — she does not personally profit from the trends she sparks.

It’s different with the Trumps.

Over the course of his campaign, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has introduced us to Trump ties and Trump steaks, Trump wine and Trump vodka. Donald Trump promotes his real estate holdings by scheduling news conferences at his various properties: Trump Tower, Trump International Golf Links in Scotland (where he opined that Brexit would be good for business. Well, his business.)

Last March, at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla., he showed reporters a table piled high with what one journalist called “a veritable Trump-ucopia” of Trump merchandise. “I mean, what’s wrong with selling?” asked Trump.

Indeed.

The merchandising of the Trump name would probably not even be all that remarkable, given that the billionaire developer/reality TV star has been on a lifelong mission to plaster his name on as much stuff as possible.

But he has left himself open to charges of hypocrisy because a good deal of his clothing line is manufactured overseas.

On the campaign trail, he has promised repeatedly that he will restore American manufacturing to its glory days by curtailing outsourcing to foreign countries, especially China. He has frequently accused China of manipulating its currency to make its exports more attractive, which has, in Trump’s view, undermined American manufacturing.

Turns out much of Ivanka’s line is also made overseas, including the convention dress, described on the Macy’s website as “imported,” but it’s not clear where. Macy’s has not yet answered my query.

Last March, in a column on the PBS website, Harvard economic Robert Lawrence wrote that he had analyzed the Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump fashion lines, which were available on the official Trump website. Lawrence determined that “of the 838 Ivanka products advertised through the site, none appear to be made exclusively in the U.S.; 628 are said to be imported and 354 made specifically in China.”

(Links on Ivanka’s current style website redirect customers to Macy’s for purchases.)

Lawrence was moved to investigate after Florida Sen. Marco Rubio tweaked Trump during a debate for his foreign-made ties.

Turned out that Trump’s sports coats, cufflinks and eyeglass frames were also made in China. Some of his shirts were made in Bangladesh.

Lawrence, like most economists, was unbothered; international trade is good for the U.S., and Americans want to spend less on things.

“But how,” he asked, “do you reconcile a business model based on importing with professions of deep belief that manufacturing should be brought back to America?”

As a former fashion editor, I hope you will indulge me for a moment. Ivanka’s dress was pretty, but it did not look especially well made, or expensive. She is a former fashion model, and can carry off just about any look. But under the glare of the lights, one could see that the side seams pulled, and the dress was looser in the bodice than a tailored dress would be.

By contrast, Melania Trump’s body-skimming white dress, which also immediately sold out on the upscale fashion website Net-a-Porter, fit the way a $2,200 garment should.

Then again, Melania wasn’t selling anything but her husband.

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Doechii in Louis Vuitton

(Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

The Met Gala is always something of a performance art spectacle. The 2025 edition was no different. What was unique was that it sought to celebrate not just clothes or ideas, but an entire culture. The Met Gala stepped outside the typical focus on couture womenswear to highlight men’s tailoring and the Black dandy as a historical figure.

But what is a dandy, exactly? A dandy is, simply, someone with an all-encompassing devotion to fashion, style and tidiness. Society has called these people fussy, or in more recent times, metrosexual. But the crucial element of dandyism is its antagonism toward class, race and sexual boundaries. This is especially crucial for Black people, who have and continue to use the trappings of fashion to signal success, self-worth and pride. That pride is, at many times throughout history, a subversive act.

Actor and Met Gala co-chair Colman Domingo in Valentino.

(ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Jeremy O. Harris in Balmain, tailored by Lionel Nichols.

(Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty)

In the introduction to her book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” Monica L. Miller (who was a guest curator for the accompanying exhibition at the Costume Institute) says that “Black dandyism has always been practiced by those interested in much more than materialism and the latest style.” She goes on to say that dandyism is a “truly radical kind of freedom, accessible perhaps only through a constant, playful, yet studied change of clothes.” It is, as she says, both appropriation of the trappings of the upper class and a challenge to the order they’ve subjected the world to.

“Slaves to Fashion” is a dense book, filled with history and reference. It looks back at the novelty of slaves wearing finely tailored clothes, which it connects to the explosion of Blackness and queerness in the Harlem Renaissance. The thesis (and ultimate challenge) of the book is drawing a straight line between an enslaved Black child in elaborate clothes far beyond his station in life to a modern hip-hop celebrity like Andre 3000. To Miller, both the slave and the star are examples of Black identity and masculinity transcending the boundaries and barriers set up around them by society. Blackness itself becomes a performance, a concept invented by those who sought to turn Africans into an other. And a performance almost always requires the appropriate uniform.

Rihanna in Marc Jacobs.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Tessa Thompson wearing Prabal Gurung.

(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum)

While the theme of this Gala might have leaned more toward men, that didn’t prevent women from finding a way to creatively connect to it, as the dandy’s role is to perform an exaggerated form of masculinity — twisted, contorted and pumped. Zendaya’s creamy white Louis Vuitton suit popped for its elegant, understated tailoring. Doechii, also rocking Vuitton, went for a more outre LV-monogrammed suit and trouser shorts with a maroon bow tie. Wide shoulder pads on Alton Mason, Doja Cat, Lupita N’yongo and Teyana Taylor recalled the broad, hyper-male suits one might see on a Sunday trip to church.

Alton Mason in custom Boss ensemble.

(Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Doja Cat wearing Marc Jacobs.

(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Lupita Nyong’o wearing Chanel.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Zendaya in Louis Vuitton.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

And then there were the hats. Whoopi Goldberg’s Thom Browne outfit was punctuated by a hat that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Victorian-era dandy intellectual. Singer and actor Janelle Monáe’s Thom Browne fit included a contrasting color suit, hat, monocle and cape adorned with the outline of a totally different suit splashed across it. Multiple suits, to be exact — a pinstripe and a plain navy blazer with white piping. It was a Russian nesting doll of menswear, with allusions to every tool in Browne’s prodigious toolbox of suiting. This is masculinity as posturing, as provocation and as protection. Presenting masculine symbols while tweaking them or reappropriating them is a potent subversion of the norm.

(Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

Whoopi Goldberg in Thom Browne

(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Janelle Monáe wears Thom Browne.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Tracee Ellis Ross wears Marc Jacobs.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The Met Gala — a lavish, invite-only party that gathers the most famous people in the world for one night to raise money for the arts — is far from subversive. Instead, it’s a worldwide announcement about who matters most, who is affecting society most deeply, and who has the money to attend. It is inherently about the establishment. The men wearing the luxurious suits Monday were not breaking class barriers. The clothes on display were not accessible to the masses. In many cases, the outfits were bespoke, custom and never to be replicated.

But it would be too easy to dismiss the Met as some sort of “Hunger Games”-like spectacle of wealth. The idea of Black dandyism goes beyond extreme displays of status. It means that you care — about how you look, but also about yourself. In an interview with GQ about the Met, legendary designer Dapper Dan described how he became a dandy. “I’m from the poorest neighborhood in Harlem, right by the banks of the Harlem River. Everybody in my little enclave was all poor. We had rats and roaches. Goodwill was our Macy’s. Whenever I was lucky and fortunate enough to have something to wear, I went to 125th Street. Nobody went there who wasn’t dressed. At 125th Street, nobody knew I had rats, nobody knew I had roaches, and that for me was the birth of dandyism because I saw the power of transformation that could take place with your clothes.”

Brian Tyree Henry

(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Angela Bassett

(Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Alicia Keys, left, and Swizz Beatz, both wearing Moncler.

(Kevin Mazur/MG25/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The)

Colman Domingo wearing Valentino.

(Theo Wargo/FilmMagic)

This year’s Met Gala theme allowed the spectator to think not just of the clothes, but what those clothes mean to them and to the wearer. To dress up is to project power, possibility and preeminence. A Black person dressing up for church can reclaim their place in the cultural hierarchy as much as a hip-hop star uses clothes to signal their wealth. The table sponsored by Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God label spotlighted Black celebrities as disparate as filmmaker Ryan Coogler and artists Amy Sherald and Lauren Halsey. Their outfits, many of them custom by the house, were as challenging and avant-garde as anything the fashion establishment has to offer. Coogler and actor Adrien Brody both wore broad-shouldered suits paired with T-shirts and more formalist cummerbunds — a house style of Fear of God. As always, Lorenzo is more than happy to muss up the expected, to push the boundaries while still respecting the core traditions of the art form.

Artist Lauren Halsey wearing Fear of God.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

What defines dandyism is a willingness to play by a set of rules, whatever those might be for the time and temperature of the world around it. While the celebrities in these clothes aren’t explicitly transgressive figures, their presence in this world of high status is in a sense a form of transgression. Their mere existence in a place like the Met Gala signals that there is a sliver of an opening to greatness, no matter how small it might look in the moment. There will always be that spirit of Dapper Dan at Goodwill to hold on to, and that style is not about how much the clothes cost, but what it says about the person wearing them.

Lauryn Hill wears Jude Dontoh.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Khaby Lame wearing Boss.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Myha’la Herrold, left, and Raul Lopez of LUAR.

(Savion Washington/Getty Images)

Bad Bunny wears Prada.

(Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty)

Laura Harrier wearing Ecru Gap, left, and Zac Posen.

(Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty)

Paloma Elsesser wearing Ferragamo.

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Maluma, left, and Willy Chavarria

(Theo Wargo/FilmMagic)

Jodie Turner-Smith

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Rihanna

(Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Count on Rihanna to drop major baby news during a high-profile event.

The singer and Fenty Beauty mogul revealed at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday that she is expecting her third child. Sporting a custom-made Marc Jacobs suit, the singer cradled a baby bump as she posed for photographers on the steps of the gala’s red carpet. She was joined by her boyfriend, rapper ASAP Rocky, who was one of the co-chairs of the event.

Hours before the grand reveal, the “Diamonds” and “Umbrella” hitmaker’s photographer, Miles Diggs, posted a photo of the singer walking in the rainy streets of New York in a two-piece steel blue matching set with her baby bump peeking out at her midriff. “Chance of Showers,” Diggs captioned the photo, which Rihanna liked.

“It feels amazing, you know,” ASAP Rocky told CBS News, confirming the pregnancy on the red carpet. “It’s time that we show the people what we was cooking up.” A representative for the singer did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for confirmation.

Rihanna, 37, and ASAP Rocky (real name Rakim Athelaston Mayers), 36, hit the Met Gala carpet almost two years after welcoming their second son Riot in August 2023. The Grammy-winning “Disturbia” singer famously revealed she was expecting her second child while headlining the Super Bowl halftime show in February 2023. The musicians, who began dating in 2019, welcomed their first son, RZA (named after the Wu Tang Clan founding member), in May 2022.

They were among the scores of entertainers, artists and entrepreneurs to fashionably descend on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This year, the first Monday of May celebrated the Costume Institute’s upcoming exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

This year’s theme takes inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.” In it, Miller explores how Black people, and Black men in particular, have channeled flamboyant fashion to navigate identity and expand their possibilities in otherwise limiting environments through the culture of dandyism. The exhibit will be on view at the Met from May 10 to Oct. 26.

Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour also co-chaired Monday’s event. Lakers star LeBron James served as an honorary co-chair but did not attend the annual fashion gathering due to an injury.

Just earlier this year, Rihanna and ASAP Rocky presented a united front in a totally different environment: the Los Angeles courthouse where the latter was on trial on charges of shooting his former friend and ASAP Mob member Terrell Ephron, a.k.a. ASAP Relli, in 2021. ASAP Rocky was acquitted of two counts of assault. Rihanna attended several days of the monthlong trial and brought the couple’s children to closing arguments.

Since becoming a mother, Rihanna has been vocal about her desire for a large family. In a 2024 cover story for Interview magazine, the singer said starting a family “was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

“When someone sees you completely, and believes in you, and thinks you’re worthy of being the mother of their kids, it’s a great feeling,” the Savage X Fenty boss said at the time. “I felt the same about him. I knew he would be a great dad.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Rihanna said she is open to having as many kids as “God wants me to have.”

Times staff writer Karla Marie Sanford contributed to this report.

SUMMER is just around the corner and if you are looking for the perfect dress you may wish to head to M&S. 

The high street shop is selling a linen midi dress which people have hailed as the ideal “lightweight” dress for the warmer months.

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Their Striped Mini Shift Dress has racked up numerous five-star reviews from people who have said they wish they could snap it up in more colours.

Marks and Spencer’s £29.50 dress comes in a black-and-white striped design and it has a wide range of sizes to suit different body types.

It is stocked in sizes six to 20 in a regular fit and is available online and in stores.

The description reads: “This linen-rich mini dress is a versatile addition to your warm weather wardrobe. 

“It’s designed in a regular fit, with a breezy shift silhouette and a timeless striped pattern. 

“The square neckline and shoulder straps create a sleek finish.”

Many shoppers have raved about the dress in the reviews.

One person commented: ”Beautiful item, great fabric and fantastic value for money.

“A very flattering fit. If I could I would buy it in more colours.”

Another added: “Perfect lightweight summer dress, been looking for ages for a simple summer dress!”

And a third commented: “Simple and flattering, the perfect length. 

“I hope m&s are going to do it in lots of colours as it’s so lovely!”

It seems M&S is on a roll with its fashion ahead of summer.

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Fashion fans have been raving about the ‘best bra ever’ from M&S which not only is comfortable and supportive, but it’s not crazy expensive either.

It is their £22 Flexifit Non Wired Full Cup Bra, which ranges from an A to an E cup but they also have a version to suit fuller busts.

Fabulous even put the bra to the test to see if it would fit an expert with 32G boobs.

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Why Everyone Is Loving M&S

Deputy Fashion Editor Abby McHale revealed to Fabulous why M&S is the shop of the moment. She explained:

“M&S has really pulled it out of the bag this season, there is so much good product to be excited about.

“A brand once known for its ‘frumpy fashion’ that notion is long gone with it now being one of the leading high street stores for womenswear.

“Its handbag range in particular is super strong with them selling 170% vs plan, with lots more designer dupes for just a fraction of the price.

“The brand is now also the #1 for style perceptions, compared to the #3 spot it had last year, this comes from a really strong design team focused on modernising the brand, not only taking into consideration how the pieces look, but how easy they are to wear also.

“Price is also a big factor with you being able to get many good quality pieces all for under £30.

“After having a sneak peak of the upcoming collection there are so many more amazing pieces that are dropping over the next few months to keep your eyes on.

“Think leopard print dresses, colourful co-ords, embroidered boho jackets, plus lots of swimwear and amazing accessories, as well as great wardrobe staples that will last year on year.”

BODEN shoppers are racing to pick up the ultimate summer dress that’s being described as ‘flattering on lumps and bumps’.

The clothing brand has slashed prices across its fashion items in time for the warmer weather, and the printed midi is currently reduced by 15%.

Boden Eloise Tiered Jersey Dress, £68 (was £80)

Reduced from £80 to £68 with the code PQ4D, Boden’s Eloise Tiered Jersey Dress screams summer with its floaty tiered skirt and capped short sleeves.

It has a flattering fit-and-flare cut, with a waistband that enhances the silhouette.

The nautical stripe print is great for creating instantly put-together looks, and it could be styled with everything from a suede jacket and brown sandals to white trainers and a denim jacket.

Now is the ideal time to be shopping for holiday fashion, and the high-street midi will be a staple for both abroad trips and summer staycations.

The Boden sale just kicked off, giving shoppers the chance to save 15% on all full-price items.

It’s not just the blue striped print that’s reduced, the four other colourways are also on sale.

Fashion fans can choose between a cobalt blue print, a leopard print, a green floral design or a navy blue version.

The Eloise dress has received positive reviews online.

One shopper wrote: “This dress is perfect for spring and summer and it’s so flattering. 

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I’m an ‘apple’ shape with larger arms, chest and belly, and it’s very comfortable and flattering while giving me a waist. 

The soft fabric is cool, forgiving and flattering if you have lumps and bumps, but still very lightweight.”

Another added: “The length and cut is flattering and the pockets are handy, it’s a pretty everyday dress and the tiers add a feminine touch, although it does feel pretty low cut.”

While I haven’t tried the Boden midi myself, I can see the floaty fit and the stylish print being a go-to for the summer.

The versatile design will pair with almost any footwear, and it could be worn on holiday or to work.

The design could also be dressed up for formal occasions, and I could see it pairing perfectly with a pair of espadrilles and chunky gold jewellery.

Boden’s Eloise Tiered Dress is currently available in petite and regular sizes, but the brand”s website has revealed it’s a bestseller.

KENDALL Jenner is on the edge of her seat as she takes on a backroom role for her fashion brand.

The 29-year-old model was pictured sitting on a chair in a sheer black dress for FWRD.

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Kendall is also its creative director.

She said: “It’s cool to be on the other side of it and have a little more control over the atmosphere and be with an awesome team and learn from them.

“I feel honoured.”

The fashion icon is one of the most in-demand models in the world, and Kendall recently insisted she’s got no plans to stop anytime soon.

But, speaking to French Vogue, Kendall confessed she is thinking about starting a family one day.

“I dream, above all, of longevity.

“Even when I’m older, I hope people will still think of me,” she said.

“I’d like to stay in the limelight as the years go by… I would love to have a family, become a mother and have children.”

Kendall added, “Relationships mean so much to me, and I can’t wait to have a life with someone one day, to have kids, to create a family.”

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.

SHOPPERS are raving about a ‘perfect pair of jeans’ from M&S.

Not only have fashion fans described them as ‘super comfortable’, but they’re also great for a ‘60s vibe’ too.

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So if you’ve been wearing the same jeans for the past few years and fancy giving your wardrobe a refresh, then you’ve come to the right place.

Many of us will have spent hours in changing rooms struggling to find a pair of jeans that fit just right, but now, luckily for you, it appears that M&S has come to the rescue.

Thanks to the fashion retailer’s latest denim release, you’ll now be able to nab yourself a pair of jeans that are perfect for spring and summer.

The High Waisted Slim Flare Cropped Jeans are priced at £39.50 and there’s three colours to choose from – light indigo, medium indigo and soft white.

The slim fit jeans range from a size 6 to a size 22, making them perfect for a variety of different body shapes.

Not only this, but there’s three length options available – short/petite, regular and long. 

The denims have a stylish flare at the ankle and a flattering high waist with a button and zip fastening, plus belt loops. 

M&S bosses say the jeans are “a versatile addition to your casual wardrobe”. 

They are sure to look gorgeous paired with t-shirts, shirts, blouses and camisole tops throughout the warmer months. 

Not only this, but you can add sandals or trainers for a casual look, or pair them with heeled wedges for an evening occasion in the sunshine. 

Rave reviews

These new jeans, which are part of the M&S Collection, are clearly proving a hit with shoppers, as they have already earned an impressive overall rating of 4.9 out of five stars on the M&S website. 

Shoppers raced to share their rave reviews of the jeans, with many overjoyed at the “great fit” of the trousers. 

One impressed shopper wrote: “Really happy with my cropped jeans. Great fit and love the flared bottoms.”

A second commented: “Perfect pair of jeans. Fit perfectly and feel super comfortable. Just ordered another pair in light blue. Well done M&S.”

Why Everyone Is Loving M&S

Deputy Fashion Editor Abby McHale revealed to Fabulous why M&S is the shop of the moment. She explained:

“M&S has really pulled it out of the bag this season, there is so much good product to be excited about.

“A brand once known for its ‘frumpy fashion’ that notion is long gone with it now being one of the leading high street stores for womenswear.

“Its handbag range in particular is super strong with them selling 170% vs plan, with lots more designer dupes for just a fraction of the price.

“The brand is now also the #1 for style perceptions, compared to the #3 spot it had last year, this comes from a really strong design team focused on modernising the brand, not only taking into consideration how the pieces look, but how easy they are to wear also.

“Price is also a big factor with you being able to get many good quality pieces all for under £30.

“After having a sneak peak of the upcoming collection there are so many more amazing pieces that are dropping over the next few months to keep your eyes on.

“Think leopard print dresses, colourful co-ords, embroidered boho jackets, plus lots of swimwear and amazing accessories, as well as great wardrobe staples that will last year on year.”

Meanwhile, someone else added: “Great slim flared jeans. Purchased the white and love them… They have a 60s vibe which I love. 

“Not washed yet but if they’re anything like my other pairs of M&S jeans, they’ll wash well. Delighted with my purchase.”

Perfect pair of jeans. Fit perfectly and feel super comfortable

Fashion fan

At the same time, another fashionista wrote: “Love these jeans, beautifully soft and fit brilliantly.

“I’m 5ft5 but bought the short, as M&S trousers are always too long. 

“I wanted these to actually look cropped as they are supposed to, and they do. Being high-waisted they sit nicely without having to keep pulling them up.”

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Hottest fashion trends of 2025

Fabulous’ Fashion Editor Clemmie Fieldsend shares the biggest trends from the high street.

The East/West Bag

Baguette bags have had a good run, after returning from the 1990s’ shoulders of Sarah Jessica Parker to modern-day fashion icons, like Hailey Bieber. 

In 2025, the East/West bag is a similar but elongated shape and has long, thin straps that are easy to throw over your shoulder. 

They’ve been on runway models’ arms at nearly ever designer show – think Burberry, Givenchy and Bottega Veneta – and are hitting the high street now, too. 

Powder pink

Bright fuchsia pink had its day after the release of Barbie in 2023 and now the more polished and expensive-looking pale shade is taking over for 2025. 

Pantone may say that it’s the year of Mocha Mousse, but the catwalks say otherwise! From Prada to Erdem, the subtle look was all over the spring/summer catwalks, worn head-to-toe or on its own. 

If the sugary shade is too girly for you, then look to sharp suiting for a androgynous take on the colour. 

The shell jacket

The ’80s classic is back, but with a sleek and minimal new twist for 2025. 

We all know we’re likely to see rain for most of spring, so your practical coat of choice should be a cagoule jacket.

Depop revealed one of its big trend predictions for this year is retro sportswear, with surges already seen in ‘80s windbreakers’. 

Seen everywhere from the stylish streets of Copenhagen to the Miu Miu catwalk, now mums who have an emergency raincoat crumpled underneath their pushchair are very much in fashion!

The turn-up jeans

While the shape of jeans remains the same for this year and barrel-legs will still be everywhere, the way we’re styling them is different. 

This season, transform your wide-leg, baggy denims into turn-ups. 

For this look, size doesn’t matter, so while deep turn-ups are a hit from jean trend-leaders Citizens of Humanity, a slight fold is still just as good – but only as it’s just one single fold.

Peep-toe shoe

Get your pedicures booked in sharpish, as this season your toes are the main event. 

After a long hiatus, the peep-toe has been welcomed back into the fashion fold, with brands like Hermes, Miu Miu and Tory Burch showing plain and embellished footwear in this style. 

From mules to pumps and clogs (yes, clogs will be around too!), there are lots of different styles that are set to sweep the high street.

Sheer blouses

See-through looks have always lived on the catwalk, but have rarely filtered into everyday life – until now.

Designers Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford loved sheer looks on their S/S ’25 catwalks and M&S even had sellout success with its black sheer pencil skirt last season. 

Expect to see more sheer looks lining supermarket aisles and high street shops in the form of skirts, tops and frocks.