style

Craig Bellamy laughs when asked about Rubin Colwill, the 23-year-old forward currently impressing for Cardiff City.

“He’s big for you, isn’t he?,” Bellamy asks the reporter who brings up his name.

Not that Bellamy is not a fan of the nine-cap midfielder, to the contrary.

However, Colwill has not always featured in Bellamy’s Wales squads despite playing a starring role in Cardiff’s League One promotion bid and their quarter-final EFL Cup run.

“Rubin is able, there’s still one or two bits that we need more from, but he’s capable,” insists Bellamy who has plenty of other reasons to be a regular at Cardiff City Stadium.

“For the first time in a long, long time, I’ve really enjoyed coming away from Cardiff games with a smile,” he added.

“Last year was difficult, the atmosphere was down, but now I get to see a number of Welsh young players playing in a way I like.

“I only see them improving and selfishly I just see that this is going to benefit the country, so I’m over the moon with that.”

After my marriage ended, I blithely thought it would be easy to enjoy holidays as a single parent. I soon found out they were either outrageously expensive, or they seemed only suitable for “traditional” families, or they were so cheap that I came home more knackered than when I’d left.

My first attempt, camping with friends, was fine until I had to pack up the tent. Four hours of wrestling with it in the heat later, I hated camping. Next, the adventure holiday for single-parent families. The abseiling and caving were brilliant, but sleeping in a bunk bed ruined my back. We tried a budget all-inclusive in Tenerife, but the hordes of nuclear families were overwhelming, and pool-side conversations with other women fizzled out because I didn’t come with a handy husband for their own husbands to talk to. A trip to Mallorca with a friend and her children was brilliant, but the cost was eye-watering.

Then, last autumn, a friend asked if we’d house-sit her dogs in Devon while she went to a wedding. For one tranquil weekend, we walked on the beach, and curled up by the fire in the evening. That led to house-sitting for her friend in Dorset, which also went well. Encouraged, I paid an annual £99 fee to join a house-sitting website, where, in exchange for looking after people’s pets, you stay in their homes free of charge. Within a few days, I’d arranged a 10-day house-sit in Sussex, looking after a labrador named Buzz while his owners were abroad.

It was our first sit for strangers, but any nerves dissipated the moment we arrived at the gorgeous four-bedroom house and met the gentle Buzz, who lived for tummy rubs. Our daily dog walks gave us the opportunity to explore stunning nature spots, and, once we returned home, we could relax in the garden for important conversations about our favourite “Ghosts” characters in the BBC sitcom. There were no expensive tourist traps to traipse through – instead, we browsed bookshops, treated ourselves to manicures, and went on kayak trips. I felt lighter and happier than I had in years, and could feel my bond with my daughter Polly strengthen every day. I’m not afraid to say that I cried with happiness. Things felt possible again.

House-sitting isn’t for everyone. Some people want no responsibilities on holiday apart from choosing their next cocktail, aren’t into dogs or cats, or feel odd about sleeping in a stranger’s bed, emptying their dishwasher, and putting out their bins. But the gentle rhythm of ordinary life, with work stripped out and new places to explore, is perfect for me.

It keeps me from descending into complete idleness, which leaves me feeling twitchy and oddly hollow. And, financially, house-sitting is a life-saver for a single parent. A 10-day break in a similar-sized house in the same area we stayed would set me back about £2,500 on Airbnb.

As for staying in a stranger’s house, I found it nourishing. Although house-sitting is a transaction, it’s also an act of trust between strangers and animals, which has brought out my best self – my patient, loving and measured side, full of appreciation for the people and places we discover. I’ve already lined up another four days away, caring for a whippet in leafy Surrey, and, next year, I’d like to try house-sitting abroad. Thanks to a bit of creative thinking, we can see the world from the comfort of home – it just happens to be someone else’s.

Style queen Nicky Hambleton-Jones, former presenter of the Channel 4 show, 10 Years Younger, and author of a new book, Bolder Not Older, tells Natalie Clarke that the celebrity fad for hanging Labubus off designer bags is not only childish, but a style crime…

The latest must-have fashion item among A-listers isn’t a Hermes Birkin handbag, Gucci belt or Cartier watch. No, it’s a tacky little monster that you can buy for 20 quid.

8

8

I’m talking about Labubus. If you haven’t heard of them, prepare to find them on your child’s Christmas wish list.

And when I say child, I mean grown-up child, as it’s adults who are jumping on this weird, ­juvenile trend.

I’ll say it, I hate Labubus. Of all the bag charms out there, they’ve got to be the worst. I think they are ugly, really, really ugly. And because they’re so ugly they’re noticeable, right?

It’s a fad, of course, feeding the demand for plastic tat.

Like with most trends, celebrities are fuelling it.

The celebrity who seems to have started it all is Lisa, one of the band members from South Korean girl group Blackpink.

She has a Labubu hanging off her Louis Vuitton bag.

She recently wore a Labubu-themed outfit on stage and is so mad on Labubus it’s been said she has become Labubu — whatever that means.

Then we’ve got Rihanna, who has also been seen with Labubus on her Louis ­Vuitton bag.

Dua Lipa has put grey and pink Labubus on a designer red bag.

Ghastly charms

Lady Gaga had one custom made, a Labubu with a red outfit that matched her outfit from her Abracadabra music video.

She put the Labubu on her black Hermes bag.

Even Cher has been seen out and about with the childish charm hanging off her bag.

Reality TV stars love them too — from Kim Kardashian to Gemma Collins and Olivia Attwood.

Olivia had a Labubu-themed birthday party in May where she bought the dolls for each of her 100 guests.

They’re everywhere — hanging off designer bags which are meant to be discreet and understated, quiet luxury.

Labubus are juvenile and gauche.

Putting these ghastly charms on covetable luxury goes against everything designer labels represent.

My kids find their faces quite scary, it’s not something they want in their bedroom

Natalie

The Labubu is the complete opposite of the aesthetic a designer bag represents.

It kills the luxury element, and some of these celebrities have so many Labubus you can’t even see the handbag due to the visual clutter.

I beg, please take them off!

Labubus are for kids — and if your child is under the age of 18 and asking for one for Christmas, then fair play, I guess.

But children don’t seem to be jumping on this bandwagon as much as adults.

8

8

My kids find their faces quite scary, it’s not something they want in their bedroom.

These things are menacing-looking plushy toys with strange, pointy teeth and rabbit ears.

The character was created by Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong-born illustrator, in 2015.

It was one of a number of characters called The Monsters who featured in his graphic novels.

Labubu is a kind but mischievous elf who lives in a mythical forest.

She is well-meaning but has an unfortunate habit of getting into trouble.

In 2019 the Chinese company Pop Mart began selling Labubu and the other Monsters online, but it was Labubu who, for some reason, grabbed everyone’s attention.

There are lots of versions, sold as a series, such as the Big Into Energy, Coca-Cola and Lazy Yoga series.

Often, you don’t know which Labubu is inside the box when you buy it, so there is an element of surprise.

8

And, of course, they have become collectables.

You can pick one up from Pop Mart from around £16, with prices ranging up to about £80 or so, but they sell out quickly and people will resell them for hundreds of pounds.

It’s trendy, it’s the new hot thing. It’s very clever. People go crazy for them.

In May, a fight broke out among customers at Pop Mart’s store at Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, East London, and the retailer removed the toys from all 16 of its shops until June “to prevent any potential safety issues”.

There’s nothing charming about these little gremlins

Natalie

My issue with celebrities wearing them as part of their outfits is that they are doing it to jump on the hype — possibly for social media likes — and they are fuelling this frenzy around cheap plastic tat.

The socialite Paris Hilton was photographed giving Labubus to her children.

Even Paris’s mum Kathy has one! And David Beckham posted a picture of a brown Labubu which his daughter Harper bought him.

Now ordinary people who can’t afford a Birkin are buying a Labubu to get a piece of the ­celebrity lifestyle — it’s a statement accessory that most people can afford.

But it kills the idea of quality, of good fabric and conscious shopping.

If you can’t get hold of a Labubu, you can easily buy a counterfeit, a Lafufu, for as little as £2.50.

These dupes are almost as popular as the real thing, but can be dangerous for kids, as they might not have been through the same safety checks.

There’s no escaping them. They should be locked up in kids’ bedrooms, not displayed on the bags of grown adults.

The clue is in the name — bag charm.

But there’s nothing charming about these little gremlins.

I give it a year before all these Labubus are filling up landfill sites.

8

8

8

IT will come as no surprise to their stylish famous fans, but Chelsea supporters are the best dressed in the Premier League.

The club’s followers are most likely to wear a smart suit for a night out, a survey has revealed.

6

6

6

Celebrity fans including Gordon Ramsay, Jeremy Clarkson, David Baddiel, Madness singer Suggs and actor Phil Daniels are always well turned out for a trip to the club’s Stamford Bridge home — and regular fans have followed suit.

But it’s not really a surprise, as back in the Seventies Chelsea’s players, including Alan Hudson and Peter Osgood, were known as the kings of the King’s Road for their fashionable sense of style.

And the club’s 21st-century fans have maintained the tradition, according to research by betting site freebet.com, with 16 per cent getting suited and booted for a big night.

While fans of Newcastle, Burnley and Wolves were in the relegation zone with just one per cent being bothered to look smart.

The table shows there’s a clear North/South divide when it comes to off-the-pitch style.

The top seven spots are filled by teams from London and the south, with Man City and Leeds sharing eighth place with Brentford and West Ham with five per cent.

Spokesman Tim Agnew said: “Our research shows Chelsea fans are the best dressed fans in the Premier League.

“They already had a reputation for wearing Gucci and Prada and our research confirms Chelsea fans like to look sharp.”

6

6

6

HARRY Styles takes the next step in his romance with Zoe Kravitz. 

The Sun revealed last month the pop star, 31, and actress, 36, were dating and now insiders say they are inseparable. 

4

4

4

As they left Newark airport in New Jersey this week, Harry wore jeans and Zoe was in all black.

Friends said they were invited to singer Charli XCX’s second wedding in Sicily today. 

The popstar first sparked romance rumours with Zoe last month when they were seen together in Rome.

The One Direction hitmaker, who was then spotted looking loved up with his partner in NYC last week, has now suggested they’re getting very serious very quickly.

Harry was seen enjoying a lunch date with Zoe where he met her music star father Lenny in New York‘s West Village.

They put on a united front, holding hands as they entered the Sant Ambroeus venue before Lenny, 61, arrived solo.

The Ain’t Over Til It’s Over hitmaker donned a red sleeveless top and skintight jeans, with a black back thrown across his body.

He pulled on a pair of sunglasses as he strode through the streets to the venue, ready to meet his daughter’s new love.

Meanwhile Caught Stealing star Zoe cut a chic figure in a black vest and matching silk skirt.

She left her hair in a natural style flowing over her shoulders while also opting for a pair of shades.

The Batman movie alum walked hand in hand with Night Changes vocalist Harry, who kept a serious expression ahead of the family get-together.

4

It may come down to a matter of style in the race between Assemblymen Scott Wildman and Jack Scott, who are vying for the Democratic nomination to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Adam Schiff.

Do voters want Scott, the genteel former college president with a soft Texas twang, or do they want Wildman, the hyperkinetic, attention-grabbing former fourth-grade teacher?

The winner of the March 7 Democratic primary for the 21st state Senate district will probably face a tough fight against well-funded Republican Paul Zee.

The race is widely viewed as a significant contest because it is one of just five open Senate seats this year that are up for grabs by either party. Democrats currently hold the Senate majority in Sacramento with 25 seats, while the Republicans have 15.

South Pasadena’s Councilman Zee is the GOP front-runner in the traditionally swing district, according to political observers. He is running against engineer Dave Wallis.

The 21st Senate district includes parts of the east San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale, the Los Angeles communities of Los Feliz, Eagle Rock, Silver Lake and Griffith Park, and the city of Pasadena.

After three years, Schiff is leaving the state Senate to run against incumbent Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) in a hotly contested battle for the 27th congressional district seat, which includes some of the same areas.

Zee, a businessman who emigrated from Hong Kong in 1977, has raised $512,000 to date–almost as much as Scott, who has raised about $570,000, and significantly more than Wildman, who has raised about $400,000.

Bob New is running unopposed for the Libertarian Party nomination.

The 21st district was once a Republican stronghold, but a recent influx of Latino and Asian voters has contributed to a decrease in GOP registration of six percentage points since Schiff’s win in 1994. Democrats now comprise 44% of the 393,882 registered voters in the district, to the Republicans’ 36%.

In such a tight race, victory could hinge on factors as seemingly inconsequential as voter turnout, the candidates’ ability to take advantage of the district’s recent demographic changes, and the number of moderate and crossover votes up for grabs in an open presidential primary, political observers said.

The candidate who can woo the growing Latino vote could have an edge, said Alan Heslop, the director of Claremont McKenna College’s Rose Institute, which analyzes local politics and demographics.

“I think it’s really a style difference,” said Rick Taylor, a political consultant, who believes a Democrat will win the race in November.

“Scott is a more soft-spoken leader, doing things quietly,” Taylor said. “Wildman is more of a wild man–loud and good at grabbing the headlines and creating media opportunities. Both have been very effective.”

Scott and Wildman’s voting records and legislation are similar, and their issues–both centered on education–often overlap.

Both Democratic candidates have basked in the public spotlight this last year–Scott for successful gun control legislation, and Wildman for voicing loud opposition against finishing the $200-million Belmont Learning Complex, which the Los Angeles Unified school board scrapped last week.

But a day on the campaign trail with each illuminates their disparate styles.

On a recent Saturday the 67-year-old Scott headed over to Los Feliz with his wife, Lacreta, to introduce himself to voters in Wildman’s Assembly district. He drove a clean, gold Buick LeSabre, and dressed like an escaped academic, wearing comfortable walking shoes, khakis and a plaid shirt.

He carried his campaign literature neatly in a bag and had carefully mapped out the neighborhood he will canvass.

Scott said his issues are public education, gun control and consumer and patient rights.

The avuncular assemblyman, who attended Yale University and Claremont Graduate School, said seven years as president of Pasadena City College taught him to be fiscally responsible. Earlier in his education career he served as president of Cypress College and was dean of instruction at Orange Coast College.

Scott, whose 27-year-old son Adam was killed when a gun went off accidentally at a party in 1993, has had seven firearms bills signed into law since he was elected in 1996.

He helped author and pass legislation to ban assault weapons, and require trigger locks. He is working to require a safety course and license for handgun buyers. He has also worked to reduce class sizes, improve the training and recruitment of teachers and expand charter schools.

Scott also wrote the first HMO reform bill signed into California law.

Wildman does his campaigning on the fly, between meetings, squeezing it in when he has time. During the week, he works the phones from Sacramento, calling long distance back to his home district, trying to win votes.

On a recent Sunday afternoon he went out for an hour with a staff member. He wore scuffed cowboy boots, jeans and a jacket. The sunroof was open on his dirt-flecked Mitsubishi sedan. Precarious piles of campaign literature balanced in the driver’s seat. The radio blared the pop music of Matchbox 20.

He headed for a Burbank neighborhood where he said his support wasn’t as strong as it should have been in the last election.

Unlike Scott, who knocked only on the doors of registered Democrats in an effort to cover more ground, Wildman marched to the door of every registered voter, regardless of party affiliation.

Wildman said his issues are education, patients rights, law enforcement and preserving local jobs.

Wildman, 49, spent his early career in the printing business. He later became a fourth-grade bilingual teacher and was a leader with United Teachers-Los Angeles. He continues to have strong ties with the union group.

In the Assembly he has written laws to increase school safety and expand teacher training. He has been outspoken in the fight to keep the film industry from fleeing to cheaper locations, proposing a 10% tax rebate for companies that keep production in California.

He has served as chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee since 1997–initially churning out so many press releases his Democrat colleagues asked him to calm down. He is questioning the planned expansion of the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Granada Hills.

Wildman explains the difference between him and his colleagues like this: “It’s more than a difference in style, I have a different level of activity.”

Scott has the backing of nine state legislators, while Wildman has garnered union support from the state level down–a factor observers say could help him in a race with low voter turnout.

WASHINGTON — President Trump prides himself on being a dealmaker, but his negotiating style is more ultimatum than compromise.

In the last week, Trump has slapped trading partners with tariffs rather than slog through prolonged talks to reach agreements. He ratcheted up the pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. And his administration launched a new investigation into higher education as he tries to reshape universities.

For Trump, a deal isn’t necessarily agreement in which two sides compromise — it’s an opportunity to bend others to his will. While Trump occasionally backs down from his threats, the past week is a reminder that they are a permanent feature of his presidency.

As Trump tightens his grip on independent institutions, there are fewer checks on his power. Republicans in Congress fear primary challenges backed by the president, and the Supreme Court is stocked with appointees from his first term.

Trump recently summed up his approach when talking to reporters about trade talks with other countries. “They don’t set the deal,” he said. “I set the deal.”

Trump’s allies believe his aggression is required in a political ecosystem where he’s under siege from Democrats, the court system and the media. In their view, the president is simply trying to fulfill the agenda that he was elected to achieve.

But critics fear he’s eroding the country’s democratic foundations with an authoritarian style. They say the president’s focus on negotiations is a facade for attempts to dominate his opponents and expand his power.

“Pluralism and a diversity of institutions operating with autonomy — companies, the judiciary, nonprofit institutions that are important elements of society — are much of what defines real democracy,” said Larry Summers, a former Treasury secretary and former president of Harvard University. “That is threatened by heavy handed, extortionist approaches.”

Seeking control of higher education

Harvard has been a top target for Trump, starting in April when he demanded changes to the university’s governance and new faculty members to counteract liberal bias.

As Harvard resisted, administration officials terminated $2.2 billion in federal grants. The money is the lifeblood of the university’s sprawling research operation, which includes studies on cancer, Parkinson’s disease, space travel and pandemic preparedness.

Trump has also attempted to block Harvard from hosting roughly 7,000 foreign students, and he’s threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. His administration recently sent subpoenas asking for student data.

“They’ll absolutely reach a deal,” Trump said Wednesday.

Administration officials also pulled $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania in March over a dispute around women’s sports. They restored it when school officials agreed to update records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and change their policies.

Columbia University bent to Trump by putting its Middle East studies department under new supervision, among other changes, after the administration pulled $400 million in federal funding. At the University of Virginia, President James Ryan resigned under pressure following a Justice Department investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices. A similar investigation was opened Thursday at George Mason University.

“Federal funding is a privilege, not a right, for colleges and universities,” said Kush Desai, a White House spokesman.

Such steps were unheard of before Trump took office. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education and an Education Department official under President Obama, said Trump isn’t seeking deals but is “demanding more and more and more.”

“Institutional autonomy is an important part of what makes higher education work,” he said. “It’s what enables universities to pursue the truth without political considerations.”

Going after the Federal Reserve’s independence

The Fed has also faced Trump’s wrath. He blames Fed Chair Jerome Powell for moving too slowly to cut interest rates, which could make consumer debt like mortgages and auto loans more affordable. It could also help the U.S. government finance the federal debt that’s expected to climb from the tax cuts that Trump recently signed into law.

Powell has held off on cutting the central bank’s benchmark rate, as Trump’s tariffs could possibly worsen inflation and lower rates could intensify that problem. Desai said the White House believes the Fed should act based on what the data currently shows, which is that “President Trump’s policies have swiftly tamed inflation.”

Although Trump has said he won’t try to fire Powell — a step that might be impossible under the law anyway — he’s called on him to resign. In addition, Trump’s allies have increased their scrutiny of Powell’s management, particularly an expensive renovation of the central bank’s headquarters.

David Wessel, a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, said Trump’s approach could undermine the Fed’s credibility by casting a political shadow over its decisions.

“There will be real costs if markets and global investors think the Fed has been beaten into submission by Trump,” he said.

Tariff threats instead of trade deals

Trump originally wanted to enact sweeping tariffs in April. In his view, import taxes would fix the challenge of the U.S. buying too much from other countries and not selling enough overseas.

After a backlash in financial markets, Trump instituted a three-month negotiating period on tariffs. Peter Navarro, one of his advisers, said the goal was “90 deals in 90 days.”

The administration announced a few trade frameworks with the United Kingdom and Vietnam, but Trump ran out of patience. He’s sent letters to two dozen nations and the European Union informing them of their tariff rates, such as 30% against the EU and Mexico, potentially undercutting the work of his own negotiators.

Desai said Trump’s approach has generated “overwhelming interest” from other countries in reaching trade deals and gives the U.S. leverage in negotiations.

John C. Brown, a professor emeritus of economics at Clark University in Massachusetts, said the “willy-nilly setting of tariffs according to one person’s whims has no precedence in the history of trade policy since the 17th century.”

“It’s just bizarre,” Brown said of Trump’s moves. “No one has done this in history.”

The president has also used the threat of tariffs in an attempt to help political allies and influence other countries’ court systems. He told Brazil that he would implement a 50% tariff if the country didn’t drop its prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who like Trump was charged with trying to overturn an election.

Inu Manak, a fellow on trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump’s inconsistent approach will foster distrust of U.S. motives.

She noted that two of the letters went to Canada and South Korea, allies who have existing trade agreements with the U.S. approved by Congress.

By imposing new tariffs, she said, Trump is raising “serious questions about the meaning of signing any deal with the United States at all.”

Megerian, Boak and Binkley write for the Associated Press.

Sunday Brunch host Tim Lovejoy is known for his clean-shaved look but the presenter once stunned viewers after revealing that wasn’t always the case.

Sunday Brunch host Tim Lovejoy once left viewers gobsmacked when he revealed that he used to sport a full head of dreadlocks, a far cry from his current clean-cut image.

The revelation came during an episode of the Channel 4 show in 2017, where Tim even shared a throwback photo showcasing his abundant dreadlocks.

Hair became the hot topic while Tim was conversing with that day’s guest, Louisa Johnson, who won the X Factor in 2015. It was then that Tim dropped the bombshell about his past hairdo.

“I did used to have dreadlocks,” he admitted. The confession drew a surprised response from fashion expert Gok Wan, who couldn’t contain his disbelief: “Did you really? Shut up!”

Despite Gok’s playful command for silence, Tim promised to dig out a photograph to prove his former look, as reported by the Mirror.

Gok was visibly taken aback and delighted when he saw the old picture of Tim’s dreadlocks on display.

He commented: “I love it! Honestly! I really like it. I love it. You’ve got a good bone structure for it. We need to get you a wig. We need to get you a weave!”

Tim jokingly agreed with Gok’s excitement, quipping: “When I have my showbiz hair transplant I’ll get it done again.”

Previously, Tim has been candid about his thinning hair and even went bald to support Macmillan’s Brave The Shave campaign, which encourages people to shave their heads to raise funds.

During a candid chat with Lloyd Griffith last year, Tim opened up about his attempts to make his hair appear fuller.

He admitted: “I saw someone use it in makeup one time, I started using that powder, the powder to just thicken it up a bit. But then it’s like ‘What am I doing?'”

The presenter has been quite forthcoming about discussing his hair thinning over time.

A viewer once questioned on X: “Tim, when did you start losing your hair? My son is 21 and distraught as he is losing fast. Did you investigate any of the procedures available? I feel for him as it’s denting his confidence.”

To which Tim responded empathetically, “Whether we like it or not, it’s tough. The problem with procedures is that once you’re in, you have to keep going. This is why I didn’t go through with the transplant. The only real advice is to go short and own it. It took me a while.”

Sunday Brunch is available to watch on My4.