Fashion & style

Fashion & style

Once upon a time, Christmas shopping meant grabbing the newest album release or an old-favourite DVD box set, wrapping it in glitter paper, depositing it under the tree and putting your feet up with a highlighter pen to annotate the Radio Times. Now that music and film lives in the cloud, we've turned to clothes as the new go-to gift. But choosing them for another person is a high-risk endeavour. How can we boost our chances of getting it right?

If Oprah and I share anything, it's an unwavering devotion to a good matching set - especially when winter travel enters the chat. She even put a cozy two-piece on her Favorite Things list this year, which pretty much guarantees it's worth adding to your suitcase. But with a price tag north of $100, I took it upon myself to scout Amazon for lookalike sets that deliver the same snuggly, stylish vibe without blowing your travel budget. The result? A lineup of under-$50 Oprah-inspired two-piece

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis wore a purple maternity coat on election night in 1960. At the time, she was eight months pregnant with John F. Kennedy Jr. The coat sold at a Sotheby's auction for $50,800 - more than six times its estimate.

I love how the skills you develop as a scientist can be applied to sewing and other crafts. Like science, sewing requires creativity, as well as an initial idea or concept to get going. Both are about research and experimenting, and are iterative processes, in which you apply knowledge gained from work that you and others have done previously. Despite these parallels, craftwork such as sewing and knitting is often undervalued or dismissed because it's seen as 'women's work'.

That's partly because not just any regular person can buy the bag. Only customers with a sizable purchase history at the brand are offered the opportunity to buy a "quota bag," such as a Birkin or a Kelly. But even Hermès' most loyal shoppers don't get to choose the exact Birkin model they want. The brand allows boutiques to purchase a select number of Birkins per season, and the style of the bags is rarely known ahead of time, according to Sotheby's.

Skiing is an expensive, gear-heavy sport, but take it from someone who's been on the slopes her whole life: Investing in the right equipment from the start will save you time and money in the long run. It's important to choose wisely, since some gear could even serve you for life. The challenge is knowing which products are built to last, which ones you'll like, and which have features skiers actually need-from thoughtfully placed pockets to hoods that fit comfortably over a helmet. That's where Travel + Leisure's team of powder hounds comes in. Made up of both novice and expert skiers, we put hundreds of ski pants, ski jackets, goggles, gloves, and bags to test in a range of climates and conditions.

It is the place where Salvador Dali painted The Enigma of Hitler, a haunting landscape featuring a giant telephone receiver that seems to be crying a tear over a cutout picture of the Fuhrer. Conceived in 1939, the work seems to anticipate war. It is also the place where Winston Churchill penned parts of his multi-volume A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, and painted its dappled-light view.

Last fall, I thrifted my way through Tokyo. As I tried on one pair of vintage Levi's after another, I was struck by how the Japanese seemed to have a better perception of American style than Americans themselves. They say that sometimes you need to go somewhere new to appreciate what you have at home. That's how, suddenly and without warning, I became consumed with desire for the humble, canvas masterpiece that is the L.L.Bean Boat and Tote.

This season, the most covetable pieces blend elevated design with thoughtful functionality-the kinds of items they'd never dream of returning. Think feather-light cashmere wraps that ward off cabin chill, refined matching sets that stay polished even after hours in transit, and trend-forward outerwear that packs down small but delivers maximum impact. Whether you're shopping for a frequent flier or someone planning a dream getaway, these clothing and shoe picks promise to elevate their next journey-and secure your place as the season's most thoughtful gift-giver.

One of the consulting costume designers for Emily in Paris, Patricia Field, is now a household name thanks to Sex and the City. The fictional Carrie Bradshaw has become a fashion icon, and women have replicated winning looks from the series, like tutus, flower brooches, and vintage Dior saddle bags, in the decades since the show's first episode aired. The hype was high for the fashion in Emily in Paris since the city itself is a style symbol.

Chaos erupted at the opening of Timothee Chalamet's Marty Supreme pop-up store, after groups of men in tracksuits were seen allegedly pushing metal crowd-control barriers to the ground in a scramble for limited-edition merchandise. Footage published online shows several young men pressing against the railings as they waited in line, overwhelming security staff. The barriers eventually collapsed as guards struggled to regain control.

The brand has become a major fixture of the fashion world, known for crafting pieces in whimsical hues and prints that make fashion feel accessible, fun, and ultra-chic. The brand's much sought-after Duo Bag is one you won't want to miss; the four-in-one piece effortlessly transforms from shoulder bag to crossbody to clutch to belt bag, making it the ultimate work-for-any occasion bag.

Podiatrists, nurses, and travelers alike are equally smitten with Hoka's range of cushioned and comfortable sneakers-and luckily, the brand is hosting a secret sale this weekend, so you can snag a few styles for yourself or as holiday gifts. Best-sellers including the Bondi 9, Clifton 10, and the surprisingly affordable Kawana 2 are marked down up to 30 percent off-all lightweight, springy sneakers designed to put some extra pep in your step.

I may be a Southern girl at heart, but after years of living through New York City's frostiest months, I've learned a thing or two about comfortable winter travel clothes. When I first moved here, I thought a cute little peacoat and optimism were enough to get me through winter. Adorable, right? Now I know better. These days, I dress smart, warm, and stylish, and I never underestimate the power of the right layers.

It's party season, a time of year that either fills you with sartorial dread or has you screaming with excitement as you get to wear yet another embellished dress to the pub on Friday night (tis the season after all). I spend most of the year wearing navy trousers and oversized shirts, but there's something about a party dress that speaks to my inner J-Lo.

Trends come and go, but it's the lasting styles that are the ones most worth investing in if your goal is to build a timeless wardrobe. For the fall and winter, Chelsea boots are one of those classic looks that never seems to lose their wearability, so if you're working to make your packing list resistant to passing fads, you're in the right place.

If you've been scrolling through social media lately, you won't have escaped the plaid trimmings, pine garlands and rich red ribbons, all warmed by the glow of a roaring fire. Welcome to "Ralph Lauren Christmas." The aesthetic, which demonstrates how to create Ralph Lauren Corp. 's signature style for the holidays, has been trending recently, sending the brand's visibility soaring.

Offering a more modern spin on the Ugg Classic Mini, the Ultra Minis' shaft stops right at the ankle so your heel stays put, your foot moves freely, and you remain embraced in cozy warmth. My feet heat up fast in these-even in the coldest of temperatures-thanks to the signature Ugg sheepskin lining that shoppers crave in these coveted boots. But it's the soft twinface sheepskin exterior that nails the cozy-girl, laid-back aesthetic that returns season after season.

A tradition, a rite of passage, an initiation, perhaps even a mild baptism of fire: the Reset Show, formerly known as the White Show, returns every December for Central Saint Martins ' first-year fashion design students. The brief is straightforward: produce one complete look using only white. In recent years sustainability has entered the syllabus, with garments now constructed from recyclable white textiles that can be recut and reused for the following year's Reset Show.

An under-$100 cashmere sweater is a kind of fashion unicorn, especially when it's an editor-favorite. This piece comes in a shocking amount of colors31 to be exact, with rotating seasonal options and a core collection of neutrals. It's a slim-fit sweater, so if you plan on layering it over a long-sleeve T or a collared shirt to stay warm, you should consider sizing up.