SwayBlog

A velvet padded jacket on the Stella McCartney catwalk for AW16. Photograph: Giannoni/WWD/Rex/ShutterstockA velvet padded jacket on the Stella McCartney catwalk for AW16. Photograph: Giannoni/WWD/Rex/ShutterstockFashionHow to wear velvet in summerPrepare to suffer in the heat for fashion. Velvet – that winter staple – is now a summer trend, and here’s how to wear it “Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.” So said Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada and a thousand gifs.

‘It is long overdue that we reclaim our bodies and our stories’ Photograph: Laura Dodsworth‘It is long overdue that we reclaim our bodies and our stories’ Photograph: Laura DodsworthSexFirst it was breasts, then penises – now photographer Laura Dodsworth has taken portraits of 100 vulvas. She tells Liv Little why. Below: eight women’s stories Warning: adult content Towards the end of last year, I published an essay about my vulva – in a book, and then in the Guardian.

Book of the dayAutobiography and memoirReviewIn 2018 Claire Nelson took a lone hike in the desert. She shattered her pelvis in a fall and ran out of water. She has written a gripping account of her determination to survive Who can resist triumph over adversity? It is the stuff of many Ted Talks and muscular films and popular books. If the adversity includes wildness and the elements, even better. A shark, a self-amputated arm, a bear or two.

Israel-Gaza war This article is more than 2 months old‘We are running out of hope,’ says son-in-law of couple held hostage by HamasThis article is more than 2 months oldYuval Baron has not heard from the Siegels since they were kidnapped by Hamas gunmen Israel and Hamas at war – live updates After Keith and Adrienne (known as Aviva) Siegel were dragged off to Gaza by Hamas gunmen on 7 October, the couple’s four children sat down with their own children, aged three to nine, to try to explain the calamity that had fallen on their grandparents.

FoodAn A to Z of offalA guide to what is known in Italy as the 'fifth quarter'Jump to: Blood | Brains | Caul | Cocks' combs | Ears | Eyes | Feet | Giblets | Heads | Hearts | Intestines | Kidneys | Liver | Lungs | Marrow | Palates | Spleen | Sweetbreads | Tail | Testicles (Fries) | Tongues | Tripe | Udder Blood"This is a dish (blood soup) that 6-8 years old girls make themselves but which young boys also prize highly.

The ObserverMoviesInterview‘I have an outsider’s perspective’: why Will Sharpe is the A-List’s new favourite directorTim LewisThe actor-director won a Bafta for his performance in Giri/Haji. Hailed as a star in the making by Olivia Colman​ and others, he discusses the true stories that inspired his new projects behind the camera Will Sharpe has only been surfing a couple of times, but he really loved it. “So I’m not a surfer, I’m not very good at it, I’ve been twice,” clarifies the 35-year-old English-Japanese actor, writer and director.

OpinionEthical and green living This article is more than 1 year oldMy burning shame: I fitted my house with three wood-burning stovesThis article is more than 1 year oldGeorge MonbiotWood burners are incredibly bad for the environment – and flood our homes with toxins, too. I wish I’d known that in 2008 It’s shame that has stopped me writing about it before. The shame of failing to think for myself and see the bigger picture, which is more or less my job description.

SciencePolish up your pecs: women prefer strong men, say scientistsResearchers asked 160 women to rate the attractiveness of headless male torsos and every single woman chose the stronger men over the weak Some women may claim that chiselled abs and giant biceps are not what they are seeking in a man. But a scientific study suggests that if your female partner tells you this, she is probably just being kind.

Fashion This article is more than 3 months oldSales of white ‘boyfriend’ shirts soar as Victoria Beckham endorses trend This article is more than 3 months oldLoose-fitting, button-up shirts are said to be ‘flying off the shelves’ into trendspotters’ autumn wardrobes It has long been a permanent fixture in the boardrooms of financial institutions but now the button-up business shirt is manspreading its way from the square mile to the high street – making the “boyfriend shirt” a must-have fashion item.