CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

With the highly anticipated Oscars awards ceremony coming this month, movie-buffs all over the world are curious to see whether their favourites will receive just a nomination, or scoop up a much-coveted trophy. 

However, while there are a plethora of highly-sought after nomination categories for our onscreen heroes to battle it out for, interestingly, there isn’t one for the most awkward movies to watch with your family…

Eager to help people avoid an awkward family night in 2024, experts have compared various “awks” factors, such as the number of scenes featuring sex and nudity, the number of people who rated those scenes as ‘severe’ and the number of swear words used, in order to reveal the most awkward movie to watch with family.

Top 10 most awkward movies to watch with your family

Despite the many controversial scenes from 2023’s Saltburn causing much debate at the end of last year, the film, starring Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, didn’t even claim a place within the top five, with the award for the most awkward movie to watch with your family going to The Wolf of Wall Street, with an overall awkwardness score of 9.5/10. 

A whopping 2,869 people rated the sex and nudity scenes throughout the movie as ‘severe’, equating to 91% of the overall reviews on IMDb, proving that the movie is definitely one to avoid on family film night. It also had the highest number of swear words used out of all movies in the study, 687.

In joint second place, with a total awkwardness score of 8.2/10, are the movies Don Jon and Magic Mike. While the latter has seven more scenes featuring sex and nudity, those were rated as being ‘severe’ by just 90 people, amounting to 54% of the people who left a review on IMDb. Interestingly, twice as many people gave Don Jon’s 11 sex and nudity scenes that same rating, which goes to show that this may be one to avoid at your next family movie night! 

Having been awarded a total score of 7.4/10, fourth place goes to the book to movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. This rather raunchy movie’s seven scenes featuring sex and nudity were rated as ‘severe’ by 77% of the viewers who left a review on IMDb. In terms of swear words, though, the movie had the lowest count out of all movies examined, only nine.

And rounding up the top five, with an awkwardness score of 7.1/10, is the star-studded movie A Star is Born (2018). A total of 189 swear words were used throughout the 2 hours and 15 minutes movie duration. And its six sex and nudity scenes earned a ‘severe’ rating from a total of 190 people (494 less than Fifty Shades of Grey), which might make a family watch quite uncomfortable. lease find the complete dataset of all 15 movies analysed .

Analysis of Google Trends search data reveals that online searches for ‘he-vage’have increased 86% worldwide compared to the previous year after stars such as Barry Keoghan and Donald Glover rocked the sexy look on the red carpet.

A new finding from fashion experts at BoohooMAN reveals that online searches for ‘he-vage’ have increased by 86% globally in the past 24 months. This follows a recent revival of the risque look, flaunted by celebs including Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and Kylie Jenner’s beau, Timothée Chalamet.

The style follows similar rules of cleavage, with ‘he-vage’ looks featuring a low-cut neckline which shows off at least an inch of chest or more.

While John Travolta may have been the original low-cut icon with his unbuttoned shirts in Saturday Night Fever, where he showed off his illustrious chest hair, the term was first defined by Urban Dictionary in 2007 as: “Male cleavage, often seen when a button-down shirt is unbuttoned to an extreme.”

However, the style has now been readopted by male stars walking the red carpet this season, who have put a modern twist on the racy trend.

Celebs have been daring the bare on the red carpet recently, such as Irish actor Paul Mescal, who was seen sporting some serious ‘he-vage’ at the London Critic’s Circle Film Awards at the weekend.

Many A-listers have opted for luxury alternatives like Barry Keoghan’s Dolce & Gabbana white two-piece suit, which featured wide-leg trousers and a cropped, sleeveless jacket with a deep v-neck showing off his toned pecs.

Similarly, Donald Glover flaunted some ‘he-vage’ while walking the Golden Globes red carpet in a white, belted satin Saint Laurantjacket featuring a dramatic low neckline, exposing the actor’s chest.

This increase in sensual styling has resulted in a massive increase in searches for ‘he-vage’ worldwide, with searches for the term increasing by 86% from January 2022 to January 2024.

A fashion expert from BoohooMANcommented on the findings:

“These findings highlight the continued influence celebrity dressing has on trends, which impacts our day-to-day styling choices.

“While ‘he-vage’ may have been in the public vernacular for more than 15 years, this recent resurgence focuses as much on the luxe feel of the outfit and clean tailoring, which is essential to elevate the look.

“Those looking to replicate the trend can simply undo a couple more buttons on a shirt to achieve the effect or opt for a v-neck t-shirt. 

“If you want to add a twist, choose tailored pieces like waistcoats and blazers with no shirt underneath.

“For extra impact, you can colour block jackets, trousers and overcoats to give a more high-end feel.”

With many Brits setting themselves a fresh set of goals, Adobe Express recently ran a survey of 2,000 UK adults and learned that one in six (15%) Brits are planning to take up a hobby as part of their New Year’s resolution in 2024.

So, with more than two thirds (67%) of the nation declaring themselves as ‘very creative’, according to the same survey, just which UK towns and cities officially lead the way on the creativity scale? 

In order to create their rankings, the experts at Adobe Express examined a variety of factors, such as the number of jobs available in the art sector, the number of museums and galleries, and the number of notable artists born in each of the 30 towns or cities compared within the study. 

The top 10 most creative towns and cities in the UK 

The research revealed that the most creative city in the UK is Manchester, boasting an overall creativity score of 8.7/10.

In the northern city, there are a whopping 111 notable creatives per 100,000 people, which includes musicians, painters and writers. 

For those looking to get in the creative arts job market, Manchester also boasts 31 relevant job roles per 100,000 residents (at the time the study was undertaken).

Achieving a total score of 7.6/10, Brighton and Hove places second. 

The city’s music scene has been quite busy in the past year, with 694 concerts taking place there in 2023 alone.

Interestingly, Brighton actually is home to the most art galleries and museums per 100,000 people out of all examined cities, with art lovers having the ability to choose from 16 galleries and museums to explore.

Finally, in third place is Bristol, with an overall score of 7.2/10. This southern city has 58 job roles in the creative arts sector. It also is home to 89 artists per 100,000 residents, which is 39 more than Brighton in second place.

Comparatively, ranking as the UK’s least creative town out of all 30 locations analysed is Northampton, with an overall creativity score of just 2.0/10. 

This East Midlands town is home to just a single art gallery and museum, and offers a total of 21 jobs available in the creative sector per 100,000 people living in the city.

Ranking in 29th position is Kingston Upon Hull, with a creativity score of just 2.2/10.

It’s reported that this East Yorkshire city is home to just 37 notable painters, writers and musicians, and just two art galleries and museums per 100,000 people. 

Achieving a total score of 2.4/10, Stoke-On-Trent ranks in 28th position, out of all 30 towns and cities analysed, owing to just two art galleries and museums within the city, and a low number of creative jobs available per 100,000 residents (12).  

Long hair for men is in, and the Emmys saw actors like Pedro Pascal and and Jeremy Allen White donning slicked back looks and long tresses. Google Trends has seen a 200% increase in searches for “how to style long hair men” so men are seeking help and advice for growing out their hair.

Maintaining long hair can be incredibly difficult, especially when you’re in the awkward inbetween stage. Andrew Vassiliou, Director of Chris and Sons has provided an expert comment explaining how men can maintain their hair when growing it out, and what to ask the barber at your next appointment.

Discuss How You Want Your Hair To Grow

Sit down with your barber and set a plan of how you want your hair to look as it grows. Clearly communicate that you’re growing your hair out and discuss your desired end goal, in terms of style, look and length.

This will help your barber understand how to shape your hair as it grows and how to customise your haircut to achieve your goals.

Establish a Timeline

Talk about your timeline and how long you plan to grow your hair. This can guide the barber in determining how to shape your hair during the different stages of growth, and hopefully avoid the awkward inbetween stage.

Ask for Regular Trims

While growing your hair out, regular trims are essential to prevent split ends and maintain a healthy appearance, and also set the foundations for a consistent shape. Discuss how often you should come in for trims to keep the growth even.

Explore Different Styling Options

Discuss styling options that work with your current hair length and texture. Your barber can suggest suitable styles or techniques to manage your hair during the transition.

Keep an open line of communication

If you encounter any issues or challenges during the growing process, like excessive dryness or difficulty styling, bring them up with your barber. They can offer solutions and recommend adjustments to your hair care routine to get your ideal style.

A new study has revealed the best ski resorts in Europe, naming Aleko in Vitosha, Bulgaria as being the ideal location for a trip during this winter period. 

The research, conducted by winter sports insurance company SportsCover Direct looked at eight different metrics from skiresort.info including total price for a day ski pass, average star rating, number of ski lifts, highest elevation, slope lengths, median price of hotels and number of hotels within 10km to determine the best resorts.  

The metrics were weighted differently, wherein the ratings given to star rating and the price of nearby hotels held the most value. The resorts were then given a rating out of 80, with the average rating found to be 52.9.  

The Aleko resort in Vitosha, Bulgaria was named the best resort for a skiing adventure. The resort landed a score of 74.2 out of 80 due to ease of accessibility with 197 hotels nearby hotels, elevation difference of 740m and an average of €26 (£22) for an adult day lift pass. 

Following them, the Straja resort in Hunedoara County, Romania received a score of 72 out of 80, pinching the second-best spot. Visitors also pay around €26 (£22.27) for an adult day lift pass and can expect an elevation difference of 738m, with 69% of holiday goers rating the slopes as ‘intermediate’ in difficulty.

Ravna Planina in Bosnia and Herzegovina took third best, with a score of 71.8 out of 80. The spot proves popular with people new to skiing, with an 86% rating of ‘easy’ for the slopes. Furthermore, the cheap adult daily lift pass of only €15 (£12.85) makes it an affordable destination.

In fourth place, Tornik – Zlatibor, located in Serbia, received a rating of 71.5 out of 80 thanks to its relatively cheap €952 (£815.3) average price for a week’s stay in one of the 45 nearby hotels. The elevation difference is only 380m and 23% of users rate the slopes as ‘easy’, whilst 60% rate it ‘intermediate’.

Ranked fifth is Montenegro’s resort Kolašin 1450 and Kolašin 1600 adjoined to it. The destination gained a score of 70.1 out of 80 thanks to its seven ski lifts, cheap median price of hotels (€647, £554.12), and decently priced day pass of €25 (£21.41).

The sixth best skiing getaway location is in Bulgaria at the Bankso resort, which scored 69.8 out of 80 in the study. 59% of visitors scored the slopes as ‘easy’, making it an ideal choice for travelers new to skiing. Furthermore, the resort is one of the highest ranking, with an average star rating of 4.2 out of 5, proving to be popular with holidaymakers.

Another resort in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Malo Igman takes seventh spot with 68.9 out of 80. The resort has a cheap daily ski lift pass rate of €21 (£17.99) for adults and proves a viable choice for experienced skiers with an intermediate rating of 50% for its slopes.

With a score of 68.1, the Céüze 2000 resort in Gap, France takes eighth place in the ideal skiing destinations. With the average price of one of its 86 nearby hotels being €655 (£560) alongside its cheap daily lift pass of €19 (£16.27), families wanting to jet off and experience the joys of skiing can find an ideal holiday here.

The Mavrovo – Zare Lazareski resort in North Macedonia places ninth in the study with a score of 67.7 out of 80. The resort has an elevation range of 623m, with 42% of visitors ranking the slopes as intermediate in difficulty.

Lastly, rounding off the top best destinations is the Alpe du Grand-Serre resort located in La Morte, France. The place secured a score of 67.7 in the study and is more beginner-friendly with 65% of visitors rating the slopes as easy.

Commenting on why ski holidays prove popular and how to pick the right destination, Head of Marketing at SportsCover Direct, Sean Walsh, said “Ski holidays captivate enthusiasts with a blend of thrilling outdoor adventure, stunning snowy mountain landscapes, and vibrant apres-ski culture. 

The appeal lies in the exhilarating adventure experience, and it is important that holidaymakers ensure they pick the correct resort before jetting off.  

When considering locations, it is important to consider factors such as you and your family’s skill level, the resort’s terrain, elevation, available amenities, and accessibility to ensure you get the best experience. Tailoring your choice to your group’s needs and personal preferences ensure a memorable and enjoyable experience amidst the snowy peaks and endorphin-boosting slopes.” 

Images

Nicolai Berntsen

Sebastian Staines

Guillaume Groult

Laura Corredor