Eurovision: Liverpool’s trendsetting musical icons
The Eurovision Song Contest is almost upon us, and the week-long competition will be held in Liverpool. Home to the Beatles and Cilla Black, the Scouse city has a rich musical history. Music and fashion often go hand in hand – and Eurovision will certainly deliver this. Onstage we’ll likely see all manner of sartorial statements, ranging from the glamorous to the slightly ridiculous. Perhaps contestants will take inspiration from some of Liverpool’s most fashionable musical icons for their costumes… The Beatles No list of Scouse musicians would be complete without The Beatles. The band’s music was influential beyond compare, and John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were trendsetters in their own right. Each era of their music had a dedicated aesthetic – from the sharp suits of the early Sixties, to the psychedelic fashion of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Cilla Black With her cropped red hair and dedication to Mod-style mini dresses, Cilla Black – who burst onto the scene with songs Anyone Who Had A Heart and You’re My World – was a Sixties trendsetter. She was unafraid to buck convention – such as wearing a red velvet minidress to marry in 1969. While less of a trendsetter in the decades that followed, Black remained stylish – wearing gowns on the red carpet, showing a commitment to sharp tailoring – and donning a shirt and tailcoat with no trousers on the runway in 2008. Elvis Costello Part of being a fashion icon is having a defining look, and that’s something Elvis Costello has honed to perfection. The Watching The Detectives singer wasn’t born in Liverpool, but has been claimed by the city after living there for a few years as a teenager. Costello is known to be a keen supporter of Liverpool FC. Costello first debuted his signature look of oversized glasses on the cover of his debut album – 1977’s My Aim Is True – and that has continued throughout his career, often paired with a fedora. Mel C As Sporty Spice, Melanie Chisholm – better known as Mel C – wasn’t originally seen as the fashionable one of the girl group. However, her commitment to sportswear was particularly prescient, long before the athleisurewear trend hit the mainstream. Nowadays, Chisholm is bang on trend by combining sportswear into her everyday outfits, while mixing things up with more grown-up accents of tailoring and more glam looks. Atomic Kitten With low-rise trousers, crop tops, butterfly motifs and blue sunglasses, Atomic Kitten’s fashion was the epitome of Noughties fashion – regardless of what combination of Kerry Katona, Liz McClarnon, Jenny Frost and Natasha Hamilton were in the line-up. The band’s fashion ticked almost every 2000s style box you can imagine – with chunky highlights in their hair, cargo pants, mini skirts, trailing scarf belts, flat caps, corset tops and more. And with the resurgence of Y2K fashion, you can now see trends Atomic Kitten championed all over Instagram and TikTok. Rebecca Ferguson Propelled to fame on the 2010 series of The X Factor, Liverpudlian soul singer Rebecca Ferguson will play a role in this year’s Eurovision. She will perform alongside Rita Ora in the semi-final at Liverpool ACC. In terms of fashion, Ferguson is a lover of extremely glamorous gowns – often with sparkles and standout detailing like capes. Her love of dramatic gowns was shown last year when she got married to Jonny Hughes in a sparkly, princess-style gown complete with a tiara and long veil. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 14 clever ways to make small rooms look bigger What’s in store at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show? Woman in ‘living hell’ with brain slipping down her spine after ice-skating accident
1970-01-01 08:00
Pete Davidson's cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 revealed
James Gunn has revealed the small part Pete Davidson voiced in the Marvel film.
1970-01-01 08:00
20 Smart Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week
National Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 kicks off on Monday, May 8—and here are 20 of the best teacher gifts that could be perfect for the educator in your life.
1970-01-01 08:00
Princess Margaret of Denmark's Historic French Fortress Is Going To Auction
If you've ever dreamed of living like royalty, now's your chance.
1970-01-01 08:00
What's the Kennection? #61
All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?
1970-01-01 08:00
Mental Floss’s ‘The Curious Compendium of Wonderful Words’ Features Fun Slang, Strange Phrase Origins, and More
Sure, all books are filled with words—but not quite like this.
1970-01-01 08:00
Amazon to Offer Its Original Movies and Films on Other Sites
Amazon.com Inc. is launching a new unit to distribute its movies and TV shows to other media outlets
1970-01-01 08:00
OnlyFans model left with paralysed limb after intense sex session with lover
An OnlyFans model suffered a near-fatal blood clot from a love bite during a steamy sex session. Raven-haired Janet Massa had several ruptured arteries and a paralysed arm after romping with her lover. During the raunchy encounter, the unnamed man gave the influencer a ‘hickey’ but was somewhat over-exertive. According to Janet, the injury was so severe that she lost all feeling in her left arm and “thought she was going to die”. Following the scare, Janet said she dumped her lover and never spoke to him again. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The Paraguayan model, who lives in Spain, explained: “We were snogging in bed and he kissed my neck, but sucked so hard I pushed him away. “I didn’t want him to leave a mark. “Early the next morning, while I was at home, I couldn’t move my arm anymore. “It was a huge scare. “I thought I was going to die.” The model immediately went to a nearby medical centre for treatment. She claimed she suffered a blood clot that went to her heart, causing the paralysis in her arm and nearly prompting a serious heart attack. Janet explained: “The doctors could not understand what was happening to me until they noticed the bruise on my neck and said it could be because of that.” She added: “In the end, they told me that a blood clot reached my heart and caused that paralysis in my arm. “It could have been far worse. “It could have caused a serious heart attack.” After treatment, the influencer - who boasts 120,000 followers on Instagram - said she was observed by medics for several hours before being allowed to leave. Janet added: “I sent the guy to hell and never spoke to him again.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Woman condemned for choosing Taylor Swift concert over her own mum’s wedding
A woman has been condemned as a terrible daughter after chosing to miss her own mother’s wedding to attend a concert. To be fair, this isn’t just any concert, but a Taylor Swift ‘Eras’ show which, the disgraced daughter insisted, is a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”. However, inevitably, the move didn’t go down well with her mum, nor with thousands of social media users, after she attempted to defend her decision on Reddit. Explaining how the predicament came about, she wrote: “My mom is getting remarried (my birth father passed away a while ago). A few weeks ago I won Taylor Swift tickets on the radio for the same day as her wedding. “I made the decision to go to the concert over the wedding, and I told her this, and she is very upset- she has not spoken to me since.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The Redditor continued: “I love my mother and feel bad missing her wedding, but I thought she would understand due to the circumstances. I do not like my soon-to-be stepfather, and I feel like seeing Taylor Swift is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I do not want to miss.” Wrapping up her monologue, she stressed: “I have made it very clear to my mom over the past few months that I am not okay with the marriage, but still plan[ned] to be at the wedding. “But then I won the tickets, and things changed.” The post racked up more than 2,500 comments within a day as users of the AITA forum voiced their fury at her selfishness. “Unless you hate your mother [...] this is SUCH a s***ty thing to do,” one wrote. “Don't expect her at any of your own major life milestones!” “[Taylor Swift] is not once in a lifetime. But your mother finding happiness again (regardless of your like for the groom) is very rare,” pointed out another. “This is why people hate crazy fans. How tf could anyone with their right mind choose a concert over their loved ones??” said a third. Meanwhile, a fourth noted: “Even Taylor Swift wouldn't want you to miss your mother's wedding to go to her concert.” Still, others were more forgiving of the original poster (OP). One asked: “Is there no way to do both? Can you do the ceremony then skip the reception and head to the concert?” They then added: “Also for what it's worth I would probably skip my own wedding for eras tickets.” Another then replied with a lengthy, personal take on the whole affair writing: “The concert isn't the issue - from my perspective, it's more of an excuse not to go to the wedding (and do something else that occupies your mind and feels personally purposeful). “I've lived through my mother getting married to a man I intensely disliked (it was mutual). Luckily (?) I wasn't even invited, even though I had still been living with her at the time, and she even tried to avoid telling me about the wedding at all, "so I wouldn't get upset". “This whole period of my life is obviously one of the reasons I regularly attend therapy.” “I hope you will, at least one day, have a sincere conversation with your mother about all this. And perhaps, that she will realize, in time, that a husband your children have a big issue with usually isn't the right choice.” They continued: “I know yours is a very complicated issue, but I think that not all people on Reddit know the pain this kind of relationship can inflict on you. “I'm still traumatized by having to play along even when I really wanted to do the opposite, just because I had no choice at the time. Do what's best for your mental health. We do not need to always accommodate everyone around us, especially if it isn't a mutual thing.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Car-obsessed OnlyFans star gets own back on 'sexist' men who don't 'take her seriously'
A petrolhead OnlyFans model reveals “sexist” men don't take her seriously in the motoring world despite her vast knowledge of cars and garage filled with supercars. Bonnie Locket from Cheshire has spent over £1 million on her obsession throughout her life, with her latest purchase, a Lamborghini Aventador, costing £350,000. The 35-year-old influencer, who shares her passion for fast rides on social media (@bonnielocketdrives), recently hit the headlines after getting steamy with her husband in the backseat to celebrate the purchase. The model, who earns between £150,000-£250,000 per month, started the car-focused Instagram page after deciding it was a necessary aid to boost her OnlyFans page. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter But despite her lifelong interest in fast vehicles, Bonnie often has to deal with "sexist comments" from men online who assume she knows nothing. "There are so many people that say 'get her out the car scene',” the model told Nude PR. “It's not very nice and I’m fed up of sexist men. “But I suppose that's what you get from going into a male-dominated niche. "I certainly don't know everything about cars, but I know a lot. "It's nice to be able to educate myself further, as well as get other people involved. “There are trolls out there but I try to ignore them because I know it’s only because I'm a woman that I even get those kinds of comments." In the real world, Bonnie has faced some prejudiced interactions with men too but reveals her enthusiasm for cars wins them over more often than not. She said: “Whenever my husband and I go out in the car or attend car shows, if people don’t know who I am they presume it’s his car, but he always turns around and says ‘actually it’s my wife’s car’ - they’re always shocked! “When I was looking for my first supercar I wasn’t taken seriously at all, I would look round the showrooms and you could tell they were thinking I was either taking the piss or dreaming. ”Now when I walk into a showroom they know I mean business, I bought my last four cars from George at GVE London and I’m a very loyal client of theirs. “I’m always treated impeccably well and they always give me a great reveal, my last reveal of my G wagon and Twin Turbo SY Roadster are on my YouTube channel and it was a wicked party. Despite the lack of support from some men online, Bonnie insists she remains unfazed and has even come up with a cunning trick to use the hate comments to boost her user engagement. @bonnielocketdrives That last pop tho ???? #fyp #bonnielocket #cartok #cars She said: "I pretend to play dumb when writing captions - like saying a car is a ‘beautiful supra when it’s actually an evo' baiting men into leaving comments. “But I think people are catching on, it’s quite obviously a joke.” For Bonnie, her love of cars started at an early age, after her three older brothers would regularly take her along to car shows and the model revealed her parents have even owned supercars throughout their lives. She said: "My brothers have always been well into cars and modding them. “One brother had a Skyline and my mom, who is now 70, has an Evo ten, another brother has a Ferrari and I had my first supercar at 27. "My brothers would always take me out in their cars and drive really fast with me and as a kid I just absolutely loved it. "Cars have been a huge thing in our family, whenever I got a new car, I'd go home to show them. "Brad, my husband, is a petrolhead as well, so every year for our anniversary, he takes us to the car show, Festival of Speed." Being a woman has its advantages in the car world too, as Bonnie finds she is able to create content men would struggle to produce. She said: "I don't know if a guy could get away with doing what I do – like when I go up to people at car shows and get them to rev their engine and things like that. "It is really fun and people at these car shows don't always get to hear what the car sounds like because they're static shows. "My TikTok has really blown up in the last week from when I did my first show, displaying my own car at Petrol Hedonism – I probably had 20 million views this week.” “I’ve attended three car shows in the last few weeks and I’m at car shows most weekends, it’s going to be an amazing summer. “It’s really exciting to show the world my car - it’s the only Twin Turbo SV roadster in the world so I’m really proud to be able to bring the car for everybody to see here in the UK.” Over the years, the car-obsessed model has owned a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Jaguar XKR, Mercedes AMG GTS, a Ferrari California T and now owns an SV Roadster, a Lamborghini, which she Twin Turboed and an AMG G63. But her Lamborghini, at 1400 horsepower, is the fastest car she's ever owned, and now Bonnie is setting her sights to racing. She said: "I would like to do drag racing and I would also like to build a drift car and start doing drifting. "I did a drifting day with girl called Jolene McDonald aka Jojo, she's one of the best in the country at drifting and really respected – that was really fun. "I wanted to do it with a woman, there are so many people who aren’t very nice about women being on the car scene." For Bonnie, showing her interest in cars online is not solely a way to boost her OnlyFans but also to set up a new career, for when she eventually says goodbye to the world of racy content. She added: "One of the main reasons I'm doing it is to be able to get out of OnlyFans. "It's great that it's bringing traction to my page but ultimately that isn't actually why I'm doing it – I'm actually doing it to exit the game and it is a huge passion of mine. "Brad is super proud of me but he cannot wait for me to stop doing OnlyFans, purely because of the comments online. "It really affects him because he doesn't understand how people can be so unbelievably nasty. "Also I want to have a baby and I don't really want to be pregnant while doing it. "Ultimately I can't do this forever and cars are something that I really enjoy.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
How Often Should You Water Your Garden?
Once you’ve learned a few key things about your garden, you’ll know how often you should grab a hose and start watering.
1970-01-01 08:00
Gen Z singletons are ditching alcohol and moving towards 'sober dating'
"Let's grab a drink" is a far too familiar phrase for avid daters – but now, a cultural shift has emerged geared towards more mindful dating. Enter sober dating. With more and more people making conscious decisions towards mindfulness, there's no surprise that the movement has racked up almost 5 million views across TikTok. A specialist team at Private Rehab Clinic, Delamere, has witnessed the latest trend and believes it to be a "more positive approach" to alcohol consumption and changing drinking behaviour. "We live in a society where binge drinking is part of everyday life and has a lot of influence over our culture and how individuals socialise, especially when dating," Martin Preston said. "This way of living is inspiring the ‘sober curious movement’ and the latest trend of ‘sober dating’, which is about thinking more consciously about consuming alcohol and our drinking habits." According to their research, 60 per cent of people post-pandemic reduced their intake to improve their health and well being. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It is predominantly Gen Z driving the new sober dating trend by seeking alternative booze-free ways to socialise. "We’re also seeing a rise in the number of alcohol-free dating apps, which allow those in recovery or simply those exploring their relationship with alcohol to find love," Martin added. "This dating trend has many benefits, from feeling more safe and secure when meeting strangers to getting to know an individual's real personality instead of their drunk personality, to feeling more clear-headed and having an emotional connection." The clinic advises people wanting to try it to join sober dating apps to connect with people with the same mindset. They also believe daytime dates take the pressure of alcohol away, including walks, a show or a creative activity such as pottery painting. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00