CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

George Clooney has been crowned the world’s sexiest grey, according to new research. The 61-year-old film star has been rocking his famous grey locks since 2009, when he joked that he was shocked to see his silver mane on screen.

Coming in second place is British actress, Helen Mirren, who decided to embrace her natural colour after playing her role as Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George.

Other stars who have embraced their silver streaks, include American actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Richard Gere, Idris Elba, and Meryl Streep.

Also featuring in list, compiled by insights agency, Perspectus Global, was Salma Hayek who recently revealed her silver streaks in a Instagram beach shot along with the caption ‘Proud of my white hair’.

And it seems Brits are accepting the move towards embracing their greys, with a third (28 percent) of over 40s admitting that natural grey hair is SEXIER than dyed locks. 

One in four (22 percent) reckon grey hair looks mature and sophisticated, while a quarter (28 percent) say they are embracing their silver because they are worried about the condition of their hair from constant colouring. 

Other names to feature in the sexy silver list include Harrison Ford, Barack Obama, Colin Firth, Sarah Jessica Parker and former Friends star, Matt LeBlanc.

One in ten (nine percent) have stopped colouring their hair to save both time and money.

Of those that are still dying their hair, a fifth (21 percent) are going to embrace their greys one day, with a tenth (10 percent) tempted to make the transition sooner rather than later.

One in ten (10 percent) admit to being inspired by social media accounts and celebrities to stop colouring their hair.

Harriet Scott, CEO of Perspectus Global commented, “The survey findings suggest Brits believe silver is sexy, and it is great to see how many are now ditching the hair dye and embracing their natural colour. 

“It is also great to see George Clooney come top in the poll, along with so many other gorgeous grey stars.”

More than half (51 percent) of those polled agreed that as a result of celebrities embracing their grey hair more, people are letting their natural hair grow through.

One in three (36 percent) believe it is now more acceptable to go grey and that there is less stigma about not covering up them up (36 percent).

A third (35 percent) love how their natural hair looks, while a further one in three (32 percent) believe it looks really cool.

 A quarter (28 percent) think the times are changing and less men and women will colour their hair in future to hide the greys.

This shift could be down to the lockdown when one in four (28 percent) started to embrace their greys and stop colouring their hair.

MOST ATTRACTIVE SILVER HAIRED CELEBRITIES ACCORDING TO BRITS:

1. George Clooney   28%
2. Helen Mirren    21%
3. Jamie Lee Curtis  16%
4. Richard Gere   16%
5. Idris Elba   15%
6. Meryl Streep   14%
7. Salma Hayek   14%
8. Pierce Brosnan   14%
9. Tom Hanks   13%
10. Harrison Ford   12%
11. Jodie Foster   12%
12. Barack Obama   11%
13. Colin Firth   11%
14. Sarah Jessica Parker  10%
15. Jane Fonda   10%
16. Matt Leblanc   9%
17. Jon Bon Jovi   9%
18. Diane Keaton    8%
19. Antonio Banderas  7%
20. Andie MacDowell  6%

There’s plenty you can teach yourself about fitness, and doing so is not only useful for beginners. Even if you’re experienced with working out, learning more about exercise can improve your routine to see results faster or even fix any bad habits that you may have picked up. However, it can sometimes feel like there’s so much you need to know that you don’t know where to begin. 

Fortunately, sports nutrition experts Bulk have conducted research to discover the most Googled questions about workouts and provided their insight to help you reach your fitness goals. 

“What to eat before a workout?” takes the top spot as the most searched for question around fitness. 

It’s recommended to eat around 2-3 hours before exercising, particularly if you plan on completing a long workout. Eating a meal with protein before a workout can increase muscle protein synthesis, where your cells produce protein; foods like poached eggs and chicken breast are high in this nutrient.  

Carbohydrates in particular give your body the fuel it needs to exercise, especially for high intensity exercises, so opt for including whole grain pasta or whole-wheat toast in your pre-workout meal. However, it’s not always practical to eat 2-3 hours before exercising, for example if you like to have an early morning session in the gym before work, so a small portion of Greek yoghurt with whole grain cereal will give your body both protein and carbs without leaving you feeling sluggish. 

“What does pre workout do?” and “What is pre workout?” take the second and third spots, respectively. 

Pre-workout is a supplement usually taken by strength and endurance athletes to boost energy, improve workout performance and promote muscle growth. Common ingredients include caffeine, carbohydrates, creatine monohydrate, and it can be taken as pills, powders to mix with a drink, or even be combined with protein supplements.  

Pre-workout should be consumed between 30-60 minutes before you workout – doing so will give you more energy to exercise harder and longer, and it can help to build your muscles. 

“What to eat after a workout” is the fourth most Googled search term around working out. 

Protein is the most important nutrient to consume after a workout to increase muscle mass; particularly if your workouts consist of lots of heavy lifting and strength training. Your body needs lots of protein to build and repair tissues in order to continue to grow them. For optimal results, try to consume a protein supplement or high-protein foods between 15 minutes to an hour after your workout, which is known to be the anabolic window (the short time after exercise when your body is repairing and recovering).  

 It’s also important to keep in mind that 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is the daily recommended amount of the nutrient to gain muscle. Consuming carbohydrates with protein after working out will also help to speed up recovery and replenish the muscle glycogen that you burned during exercise. 

“How many exercises per workout?” takes the fifth spot for most searched questions regarding fitness. 

The recommended number of exercises per workout ranges between 4-8 with each exercise consisting of 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, but there are circumstances that can determine how many you do. For example, if you are training both upper and lower body on the same day, you may complete four exercises for each muscle group equating to eight in total, but if you are just focusing on legs it may be four overall.  

It is also worth considering that fewer reps with a high weight are better for building strength and muscle mass while more reps of a lower weight are suggested for muscle endurance.  

“How many times a week should I workout?” places sixth on the list of the most Googled questions about fitness. 

A minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity is recommended to stay in good health, with that being spread over four to five days or even every day. However, it ultimately comes down to your fitness goals and what exercises you plan on doing. For example, if you wish to train both upper and lower body as well as doing cardio, you may find yourself working out every day and doing several hours of exercise each week.  

You should ideally train each muscle group between two and three days a week and wait at least 48 hours before training the same area again, and it’s important to remember that it isn’t advised to focus on the same muscle group every day as it could result in exhaustion, soreness, and injury. 

A spokesperson from Bulk has commented: “Working out goes so much further than just showing up at the gym. If you’re eager to reach your fitness goals, it’s important to know everything from nutrition to the suggested exercise duration, but it’s understandable that it can seem overwhelming. Given the time of year, many people may have only recently joined a gym as part of a New Year’s resolution, so it’s crucial to try to educate yourself on the ins and outs so that each workout is successful.” 

First impressions count. That’s a mantra that every successful business professional knows and has embraced.

You have seven seconds to make a good first impression and no second chance to redo your presentation. According to thehalo effect, the human brain judges information sequentially, meaning that your first impression will dictate how you’re perceived and responded to later on.

To make a lasting first impression and keep up the professional image, you need to learn how to handle yourself in a business environment. From dressing for success to aligning your aspirations, UK fashion retailer Dune Londonhas put together a few tips to help you master the routine of the professional in you.

Guard yourself up for a great start at your new job or an opportunity to step ahead at work in the new year.

Ace your professional image

How you dress can make a great deal of impact on how people perceive you and form opinions about your abilities and personality.

Recently, the professional dress code has been undergoing some changes. While a suit and tie might have been considered classic work attire a few years back, today, IT companies such as Google and Twitter are introducing a new trend. They are taking a more relaxed approach to workplace dressing and are pioneering in wearing hoodies, jeans, and trainers to work.

Nevertheless, professional work attire hasn’t gone out of fashion. In fact, it is becoming more polished and sophisticated than ever with the new fashion trends being woven into the business dress code in line with the emerging fashion trends.

For women, 2023 brings power pants matched with power blazers to the workplace. Floral prints are also having their moment, and a particular colour is emerging as a trend –beige. For your accessories, pearls dominated the scene in 2022 and the craze will continue into 2023. Alongside the classic stilettos and heeled boots, loafers are also a popular choice of footwear amongst women.

In terms of menswear, tailored suits are seeing renewed popularity. Light suits, which have previously been equated with summer weddings, are also entering the businesswearscene. The footwear silhouettes that will be seen in formal men’s fashion feature clean and timeless designs, such as men’s loafers in browns and brogues that elevate the suit look.

Before you decide how to dress for your workplace, be sure to read the room. If there is no set dress code available, make sure you do your research, speak with fellow colleagues, or ask your line manager for a quick brief on the dress code.

Limit your time on your phone

Scrolling mindlessly on your phone not only looks unprofessional but also harms your productivity.

A study by Vouchercloud reveals that the average UK worker spends about 2 hours and 53 minutes being productive when you take away all the distractions. One of the biggest distractors we face at work is spending time on our phones. Research shows that on average, a person spent about 147 minutes a day on social media in 2022.

When we are constantly distracted, we tend to work faster to compensate for the lost time. While this speaks highly of our ability to adapt, it comes at a cost – our stress level. When we feel pressured to complete work in a certain time frame, we raise our stress level. When this happens every day, multiple times a day, it’s likely to lead to burnout and affect our mental health.

Remember that your mobile phone is a tool, not a distraction. While it can be tempting to check your phone during the day, it can be disruptive and steal both your time and energy, leaving you feeling less focused.

If you can limit your phone usage at work, you will be equipped with better time management, less stress, and more productivity, meaning you’re more successful at your job.

Be on time

Being punctual is an indication of respect for others’ time. It also shows that you are responsible and reliable, and these are valued qualities in any professional environment. In return, it can help build trust and credibility with colleagues and clients, ultimately leading to more opportunities and success in the professional world.

Being late, on the other hand, can create a negative impression and disrupt the schedule of others, especially if you’re doing it consistently.

Arriving on time is one of the best ways to demonstrate your work professionalism and ethic and get noticed and recognised by your managers.

For extra green points, try arriving at work early. This will give you the time to prepare for the day, do some ad-hoc tasks before everyone else arrives and get you in the right mindset for success.

Set SMART goals

Speaking of getting into the right mindset, aligning yourself with your purpose and goals is key.

Whatever is happening in your inner world will be reflected in your external world and how other people see you.

Set some time aside to evaluate your goals. What are your career aspirations, where do you see yourself in five years’time, and how are you planning on achieving that? Be your own interviewer and you will see how your vision of your work and your future is getting clearer.

Once you establish what you want to achieve, it’s time to set SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, andtimely. Your future is laid ahead of you, and all you have to do is align with it.

Every morning, remind yourself of your goals and the reasons for wanting to achieve them. Fall in love with your job and watch success bestow you. Your positive attitude won’t get unnoticed.

Stay away from office gossip

Once you start finding your way around the office and begin making friends, it’s easy to get swept in office politics. Gossip is a virtue that is definitely not valued in the professional world.

While it’s a normal part of human communication and everyone indulges in it from time to time, the workplace is not the right setting to do so. You don’t want to be perceived as aperson who gossips about everyone’s private lives.

It’s likely that you will run into gossip in the office, and when that happens, simply avoid the conversation or say that you don’t want to comment. If you’re planning on climbing up the career ladder, you need to build trust in the people around you and be impartial to personal matters.

Building a professional image at work starts from the moment you wake up when you set your intentions for the day and get ready for work. Ensure your appearance is intact and in line with your workplace dress code. Be punctual and stay away from office gossip. These little steps will help you be your best version at work and get noticed by those around you.

Image: Dr Martens

Anyone who’s ever donned a pair of Dr. Martenswill know that they can take a few wears to break in. From TikTok to mumsnet, everyone has weighed in on the best ways to do so. But there’s no need to stock up on sanitary pads or make room in the freezer for your new shoes.

Experts from the brand itself have tried and tested all the weird and wonderful suggestions to create a definitive list of Boot Doctor-certified tips. If you’re lucky enough to have received a new pair of winter boots this season, you might want to read on.

1. Double up on socks

The thicker the better. Whilst you’re breaking in your new shoes or boots, you may find that the leather is tough to begin with. They will soften with wear, but this takes time and you’ll want to protect your feet during the process.

Dr. Martens have developed their own Double Docs Socks designed to give extra protection for when you take your first stomps – preventing rubbing in key friction points, like the heel, ankle and arch. No plasters needed here!

Image: Dr Martens

2. Don’t take them on any long walks just yet

Whilst it may be tempting to show off your new boots straight away, it’s not advised to wear them on long outings for the first wear.

Some brave souls jump straight into their new DM’s and don’t unlace until the new leather is moulded to their feet. But that’s not recommended for everyone. Ease yourself in by wearing them around the house at first, then for short periods outside to gradually break in the leather.

3. Keep your boots filled

When you’re not wearing your Docs, you can keep working on stretching out the uppers by filling them with something in place of your feet. Whilst TikTokkers have used lots of wild objects to fill their shoes, best recommended is a can or some newspaper. Try it overnight for best results.

4. Leather needs some love

Give your feet a rest by massaging your footwear with your hands. It might sound silly, but leather softens as a result of heat and friction – so giving your boots a quick rub can actually make a big difference.

The best way to soften hard leather is by conditioning it, so DM’s have even created a specially formulated wonder balsam that can come in handy when you’re looking to tame a new pair – formulated to nourish, condition and soften Dr. Martens leathers.

Image: Dr Martens

5. Heel grips work wonders

The top of the heel is often the spot that gives people the most trouble. So, Dr. Martens easy-to-insert heel pads tackle the issue head-on – giving the back of your feet a bit of breathing room while the rest of the boot softens up

Whether you’re jetting off for some winter skiing in the Alps, heading to the canary islands for winter sunshine or staying at home, your skin needs SPF. Don’t forget to apply every day for younger, healthier looking skin.

Why should you apply sunscreen to your face everyday? 

• To protect your skin against UV Rays. Sunscreen blocks these rays, greatly reducing the likelihood of sunburn. 

• To lower your chance of skin cancer. By applying sunscreen daily, you reduce your risk of skin cancers by half.

• To slow down ageing. Sun damage from UV rays causes photoaging of the skin which causes your skin to ‘age’. 

• To maintain an even skin tone. SPF helps to protect against discolouration and dark spots from sun damage.

What sunscreen should you be using?

Natura Sport – also demonstrating progressive application this acts as an insect repellent as well as SPF. Prevents free radical damage to the skin and packs a punch of hydration. Perfect for warmer climates. 

Terra Sport – with this you get equal UVA/UVB protection making it ideal for outdoor activities in busy cities. Protecting against oxidative stress caused from smog and pollution. Perfect for winter trips and city life.