Tina Fey’s sharp script from 2004 still holds up pretty well 20 years later. Mean Girls was one of those films that entered our vocabulary. “You can’t sit with us!” is a way to perkily exclude someone. “Stop trying to make fetch happen!” has been used countless times when someone tries to start a lame trend. And when someone is described as a “mean girl” – even if that person is well and truly into adulthood — the meaning is automatically understood.   

From screen to theatre, what are the differences?

Damian and Janis played by Tom Xander and Elena Skye. Photo: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Now Mean Girls has come to the stage at London’s Savoy theatre as a musical. There have been a few tweaks to the script because the world has changed and changed again in the past two decades. There are references to Ozempic, air fryers and smartphone filters. But perhaps the most significant change is making Damian and Janis, the two gay characters, the narrators. They replace Cady, the lead character and narrator played pitch-perfectly by Lindsay Lohan in the original film.  

It would be lazy and asinine to roll one’s eyes and scream “WOKE GONE MAD!” while waving a rolled-up copy of the Express at a cloud because of the new narrators. Bringing Damian and Janis to the fore is a great way to update the script. This doesn’t take anything away from a storyline that still resonates with pretty much anyone who went to high school.  

The prominence of Damian and Janis, performed excellently by Tom Xander and Elena Skye, modernises the show. It is a wonderful way to show how society has grown up and moved forward in the past 20 years. The script has come of age, along with wider society. Xander and Skye’s presence, peppered with dry humour and camp fun, is important for gay teenagers who will see this show.  

Changing times

That there hasn’t been an outcry over this change speaks volumes. No hysterical newspaper columns. No homophobic Twitter storm following the reviews. Good. While we are seeing a lot of increasingly angry, divisive and often toxic debate on LGBTQ+ issues, the elevation – without controversy – of two gloriously gay characters is a joyous, positive thing. It is a theatrical moment to be proud of.    

Regina George and Regina’s Mum. Played by Georgina Castle and Zoe Rainey.
Photo: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

As for the story itself, fans of the film will be pleased to know it still follows the same 2004 arc.

The easy – some would say cheap – laughs are still there. Regina George still gains weight by accidentally devouring what she thinks is a diet supplement. Karen is still almost irredeemably stupid. Regina’s mother is still the tracksuit-wearing lush who wants to be her daughter’s best mate, rather than a parent.   

Would the script feel more 2024 if Regina became accidentally addicted to Botox and fillers? Maybe, although I’m not sure how that could be shoehorned seamlessly into the script.   

Was Karen’s idiocy laid on a bit too thickly? Maybe, although most of us can recall laughing at something daft someone said in class many moons ago. I remember one of my school friends responding to the history teacher asking, “What happened to Schleswig-Holstein after WWII?” She said, “he was shot.” I’m still a history nerd and that 33-year-old incident still cracks me up

As for Mrs George as the perma-drunk matey mum, I remember this genre of parent in 1980s and ‘90s rural Australia. I’m sure they still exist in the UK and beyond in 2024. They’re a fair target for parody. She (or he) could be reading this very article now.  

While this latest incarnation of Mean Girls has come of age, along with the rest of us, it’s not a classic coming-of-age tale. But it doesn’t have to be an earnest Dead Poets Society-style show. The universal themes of bullying, of wanting to fit in, of doing terrible things to each other all resonate way beyond our school days. In Mean Girls at the Savoy, they’re told with a lively script, a dizzyingly bright set and bouncy tunes.   

Another article you might like:Midlife Coming of Age

We are all Mean Girls deep down

Georgia Lewis and Sangeeta Pillai

My hot date for press night was the amazing Sangeeta Pillai, who runs an award-winning sex-positive podcast for South Asian women. Our school days were worlds apart. Mumbai and the Australian towns of Wagga Wagga and Bathurst might not have much in common at first glance, but we both went to school with people who are reflected in Mean Girls. Kids can treat each other abominably, no matter where you go.  

As Sangeeta and I discussed after the show, it is not uncommon to come across people in our adult lives who don’t seem to have evolved from when they were at school. Jacob Rees-Mogg, 55, is way too obsessed with where people went to school and what that supposedly says about them, for example. I can think of plenty of prominent people who make a fine living out of embarrassing attention-seeking. The other day, LinkedIn suggested I connect with a former boss who was – and for all I know and care, still is – the epitome of an overgrown mean girl.  

Schoolyard behaviour doesn’t necessarily end for everyone when they leave school. But the one thing we can control is our reaction to adult Mean Girls behaviour. The Mean Girls characters come of age and become better people before our very eyes on stage. And there’s no reason why we can’t go through this process multiple times when we’re adults.    

The Plastics. Played by Georgina Castle, Charlie Burns, Elena Gyasi and Grace Mouat
Photo: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Without giving too much away, there is an inevitable resolution at the end of Mean Girls. And in midlife, many of us come to our own realisations and resolutions about how we treat other people – and how we expect to be treated by others. It’s a bonus coming of age. My latest coming of age process has been about setting boundaries and not being afraid to cut out toxic people.   

There is plenty for grown-ups to relate to in the Mean Girls musical, whether it’s teenage characters who give you schoolyard flashbacks, teenage characters whose behaviour is reflected in adults, or adult characters who make you feel seen.

Above all, Mean Girls is a lot of fun. The main reason to go along is to have a good laugh. But only the most sheltered theatregoer will leave without having a few thoughts provoked by Tina Fey’s fantastic writing.    

Book tickets here: Mean Girls Stage Show

Georgia Lewis

In a career that has spanned Australia, the Middle East and the UK, Georgia has written about all sorts of things, including sex, cars, food, oil and gas, insurance, fashion, travel, workplace safety, health, religious affairs, glass and glazing… When she’s not writing words for fun and profit, she can usually be found with a glass of something French and red in her hand.

The post Mean Girls stage show – our review appeared first on Silver Magazine.

To celebrate the month of June, we’re brushing up on our LGBTQ+ history with seven of the most influential icons of the community. We’ve got a long old history of hard-fought fights and iconic individuals, so why not show some, er, pride?! But who are the most influential and famous LGBTQ+ icons through history? 

We’ve tracked some extraordinary people doing extraordinary things, from the 1700s to the present day.  In no particular order…

Marsha P Johnson

Marsha P Johnson (1945-1992)

As one of the most well-known names on this list, Marsha P Johnson was a self-identified drag queen and rights activist. She was a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and vital to the Stonewall riots of 1969. 

The Stonewall riots began what we know as Pride today, a protest and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Johnson was essential in the formation of Pride – some even say she threw the first brick. 

The ‘first brick’ story has since been debunked, but that doesn’t make Johnson’s involvement and continued activism any less amazing. 

Beyond Stonewall, Johnson was a vocal activist, forming multiple organisations to support fellow members of the LGBTQ community. She protested for the rights of gay and transgender people, as well as supporting those affected by the AIDS crisis.  

Whether she threw the first brick or not, Marsha P Johnson will always remain one of the most influential icons of LGBTQ+ history. 

Alan Turing

Alan Turing (1912-1954) at Princeton University, 1936

Alan Turing is among the most well-known LGBTQ+ figures, and for good reason. As a World War Two computer scientist, Turing cracked the German cipher in an essential breakthrough for the war effort. He was also the source behind many other scientific breakthroughs, such as the Turing machine, which solves abstract mathematical conundrums. 

Sadly, despite Turing’s crucial work, he was still prosecuted in 1952 for his homosexuality, undergoing outdated medical treatment to both ‘cure’ and punish him. He died just two years later. Whether this was by suicide or whethr he was poisoning remains a mystery. 

Turning’s death is truly a tragedy, but his legacy lives on in countless memorials, from buildings, to awards, to computer programs and more. As a truly influential figure of LGBTQ+ history, Turing is also memorialised in the 2013 Alan Turing law. This law pardoned him and many of their crime of homosexuality. Homosexuality is no longer a crime in the UK today, and Turing is one of many to thank for that. 

Anne Lister

Anne Lister (1791-1840)

Anne Lister was born in Yorkshire in 1791, and grew up to be a landowner, a lesbian, and an all-round awesome icon in our history. 

Lister was a hot topic of conversation back in day for her masculine gender presentation, and her ‘masculine’ position as a landowner. Both were very uncommon for women at the time, making her stand out against the status quo. 

She is best known today from Gentleman Jack, a TV show based on her diary entries and letters to partner Ann Walker. Same-sex marriage was illegal at the time, but that didn’t stop the pair from deciding they were married anyway. That’s an incredible level of confidence you just have to respect. 

Clearly Lister was no sheep, no matter the stares or insults she faced. Gentleman Jack even names itself after a common insult for Lister, a modern day slap in the face to those who mocked her. Needless to say, she’s an absolute icon of LGBTQ+ history.

Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk (1930-1978) at Gay Pride, San Jose 1978

Harvey Milk, born in 1930, was the first openly gay US official. He was elected to public office in California following a proud history of gay rights activism. 

Milk was an outstanding figure of protest, with intense and brilliant quotes such as, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.” He was tragically killed in this exact way. Just a year after entering office, he was assassinated by a fellow American politician. 

His short time in office didn’t stop Milk from fighting for essential changes to US laws. He strived for the protection of LGBTQ+ Americans, sponsoring a bill which banned sexuality-based discrimination in housing and employment. This bill passed, marking an incredible milestone for LGBTQ+ rights in America. 

He’s celebrated today with the 2008 film Milk, based on his incredible life as an activist, politician, and influential LGBTQ+ icon. Though his political career was cut short, his contributions to LGBTQ+ history were essential in the fight for change. 

Another article you may like: What your transgender child wishes they could tell you 

April Ashley

April Ashley (1935-2021)

Born in 1935, April Ashley was one of the first people to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the UK. As a transgender rights activist, Ashley was prominent in the fight for equality. Even her own divorce case was used for positive legal change to benefit the transgender community. 

In the 1960s, her husband requested an annulment on the grounds that Ashley was not legally a woman. This atrocious reasoning was then approved, with their annulment being granted in 1970. All because Ashley’s legal gender was stuck as male with no way to change it. 

Even though Ashley lost the case, her story was still used in 2004 to help pass the Gender Recognition Act. Through this, she was finally allowed to change to her legal gender to female after over 60 years. 

As a vocal transgender activist, and key figure in the fight for gender-affirming laws, April Ashley continues to be remembered as an incredibly influential figure in LGBTQ+ history. 

Radclyffe Hall

Radclyffe Hall (1880-1943)

Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe Hall (known by her penname John) was an English poet and author born in the late 19th Century. She is best known for her 1928 novel The Well of Loneliness, a novel that truly cements her legacy as an icon of LGBTQ+ history. 

The novel depicts a lesbian relationship – still very much taboo for the time – and ends with the extraordinary line, “Give us also the right to our existence.”  

Unsurprisingly, such an iconic work was banned for its “scandalous” content, but that didn’t stop Radclyffe Hall’s influence from spreading far and wide. Especially among those who needed it most. 

Radclyffe Hall’s work became symbolic of those stuck in the closet (to use a more modern term). It represented LGBTQ+ people unable to represent themselves in a world where self-expression remained a crime. Having offered a voice for those who needed it most, Radclyffe Hall deserves to be celebrated as a brilliantly influential LGBTQ+ icon. 

Chevalier d’Eon

The Chevalier D’Eon (1728 -1810) from the London Magazine 1777, British Cartoon Prints Collection

Born in 1728, Chevalier d’Eon was one of the first transgender and gender non-conforming people in modern European history. They were a French diplomat, soldier and spy as part of a secret organisation under King Louie XV. An incredibly cool figure for our queer history tour. 

They presented as both masculine and feminine in their lifetime until 1777. That year, the king officially recognised d’Eon as a woman, so long as they presented as feminine for the rest of their life. A pretty bizarre deal for gender recognition by today’s standards. But it did come with a free wardrobe courtesy of the king himself. And d’Eon got to keep their incredible undercover life.  

D’Eon is known by many for their fencing prowess. Including defeating a French soldier in one particularly influential duel while presenting as a woman. Their legacy has been celebrated by many well-known figures such as Mary Wollstonecraft, for their incomparable contributions to both women’s rights and transgender rights. 

As a remarkable soldier, spy, and one of the first to legally transition, d’Eon is definitely an LGBTQ+ icon to be proud of.

Lady Phyll

Phyll Opoku Gyimah (1974 – )

Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah, also known as Lady Phyll, is a political activist, campaigning for both LGBTQ+ rights and anti-racism. For anyone noticing the use of present tense there, you read right. Lady Phyll remains an influential rights activist to this day, still going strong in her co-founded charity and event UK Black Pride. 

UK Black Pride was formed in the hopes of uniting and celebrating LGBTQ+ people of colour, promoting unity and advocating for anti-racism within and towards the community. Self-described as both a party and a protest, its contribution to LGBTQ+ history is essential, fighting for a more inclusive LGBTQ+ community. 

Lady Phyll will undeniably go down in history as an influential icon of the LGBTQ+ community. And she continues to be politically active today, acting as Chief Executive of her own charity. Her influential story is far from over, and so is the fight for change. 

The future of Pride 

We can learn a lot from the influential LGBTQ+ icons of the past. What unites us all is not our struggles, but instead the strength of our community. It is our united fight for a better future that makes Pride what it is today.  

And it’s not over yet. We still have a long way to go in our fight for equality. 

To get involved, consider checking out the official Stonewall website for more information on events, charities and protests.  

Aiden Winn

Aiden is an editorial and production staffer at Title Media. He’s constantly looking for opportunities to have fun and get creative, whether it be art, baking, storytelling… you name it!

The post Pride. The kickass famous LGBTQ+ icons through history appeared first on Silver Magazine.

As you can imagine, we are all over this. The Silver Marketing Association (SMA) supports promotes best practice and ethical marketing to the mature market. This means everything from promoting causes like the Age Friendly Employer Pledge to undertaking important research work into the various aspects of the silver sector. They champion businesses in the sector – Silver Magazine included – and the business awards are a highly contested badge of honour for those who win. Here are the Silver Marketing Association awards.

About the awards

These awards recognise and celebrate the companies and organisations that have delivered a successful marketing campaign in the last year, focusing on the older demographic and showing creativity, empathy and measurable results. The entries are judged by a brilliant lineup of informed and impartial judges. The awards’ headline sponsor this year is Boom Radio – so the host for the event will be Boom co-founder and presenter David Lloyd (below). We’ve seen him speak before and he’s hugely entertaining – worth going to the event just for him!

In alphabetical order, the shortlisted entries in each category, together with the sponsors, are:

Best Radio/Podcast Campaign – sponsored by Senior Response

Shortlisted:

• Age Co – Things Get Better with Age Co
• Boom Radio & One Traveller – One Traveller radio campaign
• Intergenerational England – The Talking Generations Podcast
• Vintage Travel – Vintage Travel – Silver Awareness

Best Print Campaign – sponsored by Saga Magazine

Shortlisted:

• Age Co– Things Get Better with Age Co
• Alfa Travel – Alfa Travel 2024 brochure
• BlueStar Media & Silver Travel Advisor – Silver Traveller Magazine
• BlueStar Media & Ambassador Cruise Line – Ambassador Cruise Line – Fair Winds Magazine

Best Outdoor Campaign – sponsored by Mash Marketing

Shortlisted:

• Centre for Ageing Better - Age Without Limits
• The Kite Factory and Don’t Panic – Oxfam – Staying In The Fight
• YourStride – Grassroots Bowls Clubs

Best Direct Mail Campaign – sponsored by Eight Days a Week Print Solutions

Shortlisted:

• Audley Group – Audley Luxury Retirement Villages
• Granite & TREND Transformations – Merry Christmas
• McCarthy Stone – Time to open a new chapter

Best Social Media Campaign – sponsored by Silversurfers

Shortlisted:

• Accord Marketing & Ambassador Cruise Line –  Ambassador Cruise Line
• Ageism Is Never In Style – #ILookMyAge
• Granite & TREND Transformations – Sustainable Kitchen Makeover

Best TV Campaign – sponsored by ITV

Shortlisted:

• Accord Marketing & Ambassador Cruise Line Ambassador Cruise Line – Enjoy yourself
• The Kite Factory and Don’t Panic – Oxfam – Staying In The Fight
• TVADSWORK and Doro – The Doro TV Commercial’ Campaign

Best PR Campaign– sponsored by Marketing Radar

Shortlisted:

• Finn Partners & The Advantage Travel Partnership  – Travel Triumph: Targeting the Silver Traveller for The Advantage Travel Partnership
• LOTUS & Visit Guernsey – Visit Guernsey – Renoir in Guernsey; 1883
• Wallacea Living – The Time of Your Later Life

Best Digital Marketing / Age Tech campaign – sponsored by AgeSpace

Shortlisted:

• CareCall – CareCall
• Dementia Adventure and Freddie’s Flowers – Blooms of Connection: Celebrating Dementia Adventure’s 15th Birthday with Freddie’s Flowers
• Granite & TREND Transformations – Digital Lead Generation Campaign
• Mistral Hotel – Singles in Crete & Copywrite That - New Sunday Best Friend

Best Overall Multi-Channel Campaign – sponsored by Precision Platinum

Shortlisted:

• Accord Marketing & Ambassador Cruise Line – Ambassador Cruise Line – Enjoy yourself
• Centre for Ageing Better – Age Without Limits
• McCarthy Stone – Time to open a new chapter
• Wallacea Living– The Time of Your Later Life

Good luck to everyone taking part! The awards will be presented at a sparkling drinks reception on Tuesday 25 June 2024 at the Cavendish Centre, London W1 from 17:30 -18:30 following the Silver Marketing Summit.

Please contact enquiries@silvermarketing.org if you would like to attend the Silver Marketing Association awards.

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The post Silver Marketing Association business marketing awards appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Silver Magazine back in print, you say? Well yes! And not only am I doing this because I love it, but apparently so do hundreds of thousands of other people. I kid you not.

Friends and followers on social media will have seen me crowing about this already recently. It’s vulgar to crow, I know. But I don’t care, because something good happened the other day that was worth having a little crow about. Something that felt like a proper ‘sign’ from the Universe, you know?

This was my slightly cocky social media post:

“Today I crunched some Silver Magazine numbers as we’re going back into print (whoop!) and we need a new media pack. And I’ve managed to get hold of a bunch of media packs from competitors to have a nose, natch.

“And we are actually killing it. We’re blowing at least two of the biggies absolutely out of the water! Our reach is higher, our follower numbers are higher. I had no idea, until I actually worked it all out. So yay for us!

“Now I know this I’ve got my swagger right on. Look out!”

So yes, I have a bit more swagger again. And yes excitingly, Silver Magazine is coming back in print format. And while comparisons are odious, and probably odorous too, it was really encouraging to see that not only are we – as a very small business – fighting our corner with not inconsiderable zeal… we’re actually outshining publishers and magazines with budgets and manpower that I can only dream of. Little us!

Some of you will have had a print issue of Silver before. And many of you subscribed, and have been insanely patient, waiting for the print issues to be relaunched. God, I love you guys. Literally about two people have asked for a refund, which is extraordinary. The faith people have in Silver Magazine is humbling.

But I digress. Print! We’re back! Hurrah for print, print, print. With its lovely feel, and it’s new-print stinky inky smell. And as someone commented on my crowing post, that feeling of “thumbing through the pages.” I can’t wait to get into it again. Print will always be my first and biggest love.

WIN a year’s free subscription to Silver Magazine – hurry, enter now!

So why print and why now?

Every Christmas I take two weeks off. It’s a set-in-stone sabbatical, and usually the longest break I take all year. I tend to crawl towards the finishing line in December, absolutely shattered from another year of ALL THE THINGS.

I’m really scrupulous about distancing myself from work at this time. As any business owner knows, it’s virtually impossible to do this. My holidays and long weekends are always punctuated by emails and phone calls and texts. Even if I’m in a beach bar sinking a cold one, I’m still connected. I’m never ‘off the clock’.

But I can do it at Christmastime because everyone else is kinda in the same place. People don’t care if I don’t reply – in fact they’re probably relieved. So I can let go. And that’s when I’m truly able to stand back and look at what’s going on objectively. And after about three days something magic happens. I start to see things clearly again.

Over this Christmas I realised that I wasn’t happy

2023 was filled with the excitement of bringing new things into the Silver arena. I created a truly wonderful little Silver Skincare range, that I’m so, so proud of. And we launched our Silver Retreats, which I am also really excited about. But this meant learning a whole new set of skills, and delving into the world of ecommerce. And if I’m honest, I don’t find that stuff very sexy.

What I DO find sexy is making magazines. And after about a week of R&R, I realised this was where I needed to refocus in 2024. I didn’t care if it was hard to do, or if it didn’t make me rich. I just wanted to do more of the thing I love.

And so when I crunched those numbers, and discovered that we genuinely, honestly stand proud in our given arena, more than head and shoulder above many bigger brands, it was actually quite an emotional moment.

It also helps that one of my younger team members came back from Christmas and before I’d even said about print, told me we should be back in print. Apparently it’s what all the cool kids are doing because it’s trustworthy, and seen as classy. Print is BACK baby.

And so here we are

I’ve put literally everything I have – energy, heart, money, and soul – into making Silver Magazine work. There have been days – so many days – where I’ve felt like I’m banging my head against a brick wall. I’ve seen other startups in the silver sector moving faster than us, and felt inadequate. I’ve wept with frustration as global events have knocked us down, repeatedly. On a personal level I’ve soldiered on through the loss of my parents, the menopause, the end of my longest relationship ever… you get the picture. It’s been hard work.

But through it all I kept feeling like Silver was a good thing. And people kept telling me it was a good thing. And the other day was really wondering if I should keep going. “Give me a sign, please!” I asked the Universe. And I got a sign.

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post Guess who’s back? Back again. Silver print, tell your friends! appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The sooner you spruce up your kitchen, the sooner you can enjoy cooking in it again. The sooner you address your lounge, the sooner you can host with pride. But an often-overlooked part of the house is technically not part of it at all: the outside. Addressing your garden can feel a step too far, and especially so in the wintertime. However, the sooner you design your ideal outdoors, the sooner you can avail of the spring and summer weather alone or with friends. How should you approach this project, though? Here’s how to design the outdoors of your property.

Add a Patio

One of the better ways you can engage with your outdoor space is to make it more useful as well as more aesthetically pleasing – that is, to install a patio. Patio spaces are at once great vessels for design and aesthetic expression, and useful areas for social engagement and quiet reflection.

The patio can itself reflect your own aesthetic leanings, too, dependent on how you choose to construct it. A paving-stone patio can effect a modern but natural feel while keeping your patio relatively easy to clean, where old-school flagstones can make for a much more rustic feel.

Diversify Materials

Speaking of materials, diversifying the materials you use across your garden can have a powerful impact on its overall design. For example, you could contrast the sleek and isometric design of a paving-stone patio with more rustic wooden-sleeper flowerbeds along and down your garden.

Pathways could use cobblestone, to match the colours of existing patios or side-paths, and metal planters could set off against them for added texture. Even gravel or pea-shingle can be used to great effect, where gravel areas can be contrasted with metal arches, themselves home to climbing or hanging plants.

Read more: cosy winter interior design ideas

Decking

Of course, a patio is not the only option available to you when it comes to creating social spaces outdoors. Indeed, patio spaces can be difficult to arrange when space is at a premium, let alone the state of your landscaping budget. In these situations, decking may be an accessible and sustainable alternative.

Decking can be made multi-level, allowing you to step your garden up to meet a raised back door. Or, even create a raised social space above your garden, functionally increasing the amount of room available to you and your guests. Decking can be just as easy to maintain as a patio, and can be used for just as many things.

Planters

We’ve already touched on planters, with regard to materials and the creation of textural contrast in your garden’s design. But some more nuanced thinking about the type and placement of your flowerbeds and planters can bring your garden to life for relatively little cost. Wildflower beds marked out with stone can create a wonderland feel at the foot of your garden. While built-up sleeper beds can hold crops and make them much easier to harvest.

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The post Landscaping and garden design – how to design the outdoors of your property appeared first on Silver Magazine.

This is more than just a fashion shoot – this is a fairy story. Looking for inspiration for a fashion shoot, I found myself in a forest, observing the changing seasons. And I remembered the beautiful Flower Fairies and how they held me spellbound as a child. So I talked to the amazing creatives here, and we set out to create a beautiful shoot inspired by the original fairies.

The Cicely Mary Barker Estate kindly gave us permission to use the original fairy images, and also reproduce the poems that Cicely wrote with them. Below you’ll see the looks we created, and then the fairies that inspired the looks. This was absolutely magical to create, I hope you love it too.

Mountain Ash / Rowan Tree Fairy

Mountain Ash Fairy – Tanja wears: –
Rust lace insert mini dress with button detail in velvet, ASOS design, £55. Black sheer petticoat, stylist’s own. Frangipane tights, in rust, Moshulu, £9. Green textile autumn heeled ankle boots, Lotus, £59.99

The Mountain Ash Fairy

They thought me, once, a magic tree
Of wondrous lucky charm,
And at the door they planted me
To keep the house from harm.

They have no fear of witchcraft now,
Yet here am I today;
I’ve hung my berries from the bough,
And merrily I say:

“Come, all you blackbirds, bring your wives,
Your sons and daughters too;
The finest banquet of your lives
Is here prepared for you.”

(The Mountain Ash’s other name is Rowan; and it used to be called Witchentree and Witch-wood too)

The Yew Tree Fairy

Yew Tree Fairy – Lindsay wears: – Forest green bare shoulder prom mini dress, ASOS design, £62. Frangipane tights, in raspberry, Moshulu, £10. Bardo textile Cassandra heeled ankle boots, Lotus, £65

Yew Tree Fairy

Here, on the dark and solemn Yew,
A marvel may be seen,
Where waxen berries, pink and new,
Appear amid the green.

I sit a-dreaming in the tree,
So old and yet so new;
One hundred years, or two, or three
Are little to the Yew.

I think of bygone centuries,
And seem to see anew
The archers face their enemies
With bended bows of Yew.

Dogwood Fairy

Dogwood Fairy – Tanja wears: –
Vintage Art Deco dress, stylist’s own. Art Deco Gourd Necklace, Tatty Devine, £195
Gold chain necklace, stud earrings, stylist’s own

Dogwood Fairy

I was a warrior,
When, long ago,
Arrows of Dogwood
Flew from the bow.
Passers-by, nowadays,
Go up and down,
Not one remembering
My old renown.
Yet when the Autumn sun
Colours the trees,
Should you come seeking me,
Know me by these:
Bronze leaves and crimson leaves,
Soon to be shed;
Dark little berries,
On stalks turning red.

Poppy Fairy

Poppy Fairy – Lindsay wears: –
Autumn Red pleated maxi dress, Little Mistress, £64. Art Deco Gourd Necklace, Tatty Devine, £195. Black vintage lace shrug, stylist’s own

Poppy Fairy

The green wheat’s a-growing,
The lark sings on high;
In scarlet silk a-glowing,
Here stand I.

The wheat’s turning yellow,
Ripening for sheaves;
I hear the little fellow
Who scares the bird-thieves.

Now the harvest’s ended,
The wheat-field is bare;
But still, red and splendid,
I am there.

Elderberry Fairy

Elderberry Fairy – Lindsay wears: –
Bridesmaid Bardot maxi dress, Little Mistress, £85. All accessories stylist’s own

Elderberry Fairy

Tread quietly:
O people, hush!
—For don’t you see
A spotted thrush,
One thrush or two,
Or even three,
In every laden elder-tree?

They pull and lug,
They flap and push,
They peck and tug
To strip the bush;
They have forsaken
Snail and slug;
Unseen I watch them, safe and snug!

Christmas Tree Fairy

Christmas Tree Fairy – Tanja wears: – Halter maxi dress with bias ruffle detail in white, ASOS design, £56. Baroque garland statement necklace, Tatty Devine, £475. Stud earrings, silver ring, stylist’s own. Gold Currans pointed-toe ankle boots, Ravel, £80

The Christmas Tree Fairy

The little Christmas Tree was born
And dwelt in open air;
It did not guess how bright a dress
Some day its boughs would wear;
Brown cones were all, it thought, a tall
And grown-up Fir would bear.

O little Fir! Your forest home
Is far and far away;
And here indoors these boughs of yours
With coloured balls are gay,
With candle-light, and tinsel bright,
For this is Christmas Day!

A dolly-fairy stands on top,
Till children sleep; then she
(A live one now!) from bough to bough
Goes gliding silently.
O magic sight, this joyous night!
O laden, sparkling tree!

An enormous thanks to everyone involved in making this shoot a reality. All Flower Fairy images and poetry reproduced with kind permission from The Estate of Cicely Mary Barker © 2022 (Penguin RandomHouse)

www.flowerfairies.com

Shot on location at Stanmer Park, Brighton, UK with kind permission from The One Garden

The team

Photographer: Erika Szostak @erikaszostak
Photographer’s assistant: Matt Ryan
Hair: Gary Forde @garyforde_starhaircare
Makeup: Annelie Bystrom-Turner @annelie_bystrom
Shoot assistant: Lana Hall @larliie
Shoot producer: Sam Harrington-Lowe @samhl
Location manager: Deborah Collcutt @deborah_collcutt
Videographer: Cameron Antony @ǫᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟᴏɴᴅᴏɴ

Models:

Tanja Hansson @tanjahansson79
Lindsay Tipping @lindsayuk1

Silver Magazine Instagram: @SilverMagUK

Fashion forward fifty-something? Meet the mature fashionistas

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post Flower Fairies fashion – winter woodland glamour appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Yes, that early summer fashion dilemma – warm in the daytime, but chilly at night. And yes, there’s still rain. What to do? Let’s look at your wardrobe…

We’re all about minimalism and colour blocking this early summer fashion season, and keeping warm and dry! Gotta love the British weather. So whether you’re looking for summery warm bits for festivals and outdoor events, or you just want to sit outside for longer, read on…

Barbour Portree Umbrella, £32.95

M&CO, Lurex Straw Hat, £18.99

M&CO, Cat Eye Sunglasses, £12.99

Oliver Bonas, Pink and Camel Colour Block Scarf, £38

Joe Browns, Ravishing Ruched Sweater, £45

White Stuff, Knitted Stripe Wrap, £59

White Stuff, Abstract Wool Mix Funnel Neck Jumper Plum, £59

TK Maxx, Zebra Umbrella, £6.99

Soho House, Eloise Linen Short Pyjamas Oatmeal, £140

Regatta, Women’s Fairweather II Wellies Multi Stripe, £34.95

Oliver Bonas, Turquoise Tie Dye Fabric Shopper, £14.50

Oliver Bonas, Pretty Orange Check Scarf, £35

Looking for hot summer 70s looks?

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Early summer fashion edit – it’s not that hot yet! appeared first on Silver Magazine.

We went along to see it at Brighton’s Theatre Royal, and our hands were red from the applause by the end. The play, the cast, and the fantastic breaking down of age barriers made for a riveting evening. Here’s our Private Lives review…

Breaking expectations

Patricia Hodge as Amanda and Nigel Havers as Elyot

If you’re looking for someone well-versed in Noel Coward’s fanatical plot to critique an adaptation, you’re in quite the wrong place. I honestly had no idea what to expect, though I didn’t imagine I’d laugh quite as much as I did. I was so pleasantly surprised with how well everything and everyone worked together.

We all love a middle-class comedy drama – Absolutely Fabulous is a household gem – but I did have a moment of ‘will this been an archaic, droll take on an overdone storyline?’ The answer, it turns out, is no. Thankfully, my suspicions were incorrect. From the physical design of the set to the absolutely incredible vocal notes from Patricia Hodge, the two hours spent watching this adaptation could not have been better spent.

Patricia Hodge as Amanda and Nigel Havers as Elyot

Despite being written almost a century ago, I found the sentiments of the storyline quite relatable to the modern era; it was ahead of its time. This adaptation cancelled out any of the potential risks of mediocrity or monotony that sometimes come with aged works of art. It was quite conceivable that this story could have been written recently.

The plotline was sometimes predictable, and it wasn’t completely unique, but it was a solid story that stuck to what it knew, and gave us more than we expected. There’s nothing quite as bad as going to see a film or TV show that has tried to out-perform every other member of its genre, and in doing so has lost all sense of what it set out to do.

Age is but a number

Dugald Bruce-Lockhart as Victor and Natalie Walter as Sibyl

The playing around of stereotypes made the storyline enjoyable, and the actors were so well cast. They played up to their character’s comedic tropes – the misogynist, the insecure new woman – in a way that allowed us to laugh at the people these tropes represent, rather than the perceived victims of the jokes.

In fact, the female characters were much more likeable than they are usually represented in these sorts of stories – generally shrill and scornful, unable to have a good time – and the strength in the portrayal of these characters made for enjoyable watching as the drama unfolded. It was hard to decide on a ‘villain’ and hate any of them; though Havers’ character was the playboy pig, the charm that Havers brought to the role made for unwitting likeability.

The cast played their parts so well, it seems foolish to imagine anyone else in these roles. Some talk online suggested that perhaps the cast could have been younger, but I heartily disagree. The cast members’ ages added a certain wisdom and authenticity to the roles that I just don’t think would have been present otherwise.

Patricia Hodge as Amanda and Nigel Havers as Elyot

The credibility these actors brought to the play made it relatable and original, which only adds to the humour of realising your ex-spouse is honeymooning with their new spouse in the hotel room next to yours.

While the first act laid the groundwork, the second act brought the drama. The bickering was so highly amusing, and the reactions that certain scenes got from the audience made it almost seem scripted. The unanimous gasp at the blatant sexism, the squeal of delight at a slap, the rambunctious chuckling… To be united as one laughing at a fantastically created production was the chicken soup for the soul we needed after the past two years.

Check the tour dates and locations here.

Carly Pepperell

Carly gets to do everything under the sun, including writing, editing, taking photos, creating stories, and swanning around at launches. She can down a glass of Prosecco without pausing for breath, and aims to be the youngest Pulitzer winner ever.

The post Noel Coward’s Private Lives: a review appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The timeless Downton Abbey sequel hits the UK screens on 29 April, and we’ve got exclusive behind the scenes shots to share. Not only that, but an EXCLUSIVE GOODY BAG GIVEAWAY (more on that below).

The film will see the Crawley family journey to the south of France to visit the Dowager Countess’s newly-inherited villa. Upon their arrival, it seems a mystery is waiting to be solved… And no, we’re not telling you any more than that.

Downton Abbey: A new Era is a follow-up to the 2019 feature film in which the Crawley family and Downton staff received a royal visit from the King and Queen of Great Britain, and it boasts a stellar cast such as Hugh Bonneville, Samantha Bond, Maggie Smith and Penelope WIlton, to name but a few.

To celebrate the return of our favourite historical drama, we’re giving four lucky fans the chance to win a goody bag! The Downton-branded merchandise includes a bag, an umbrella, a mug, flask, pen, and notebook. For your chance to win, fill in the form at the bottom. Good luck!

Your first look behind the scenes

Photos by Ben Blackall / © 2022 Focus Features, LLC

BTS documentarian Phil Stoole and actors Tuppence Middleton and Allen Leech

Elizabeth McGovern stars as Cora Grantham and Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Hexham

Laura Carmichael, Samantha Bond, Hugh Bonneville and Maggie Smith

Allen Leech as Tom Branson, Nathalie Baye as Mme Montmirail, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Grantham, Hugh Bonneville as Robert Grantham, Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Branson, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, Jonathan Zaccäi as M Montmirail, Jim Carter as Mr. Carson, Imelda Staunton stars as Lady Bagshaw and Harry Hadden-Paton as Bertie Pelham

Kevin Doyle as Mr. Molesley and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary

Michael Fox as Andy, Joanne Froggatt as Anna, Sophie McShera as Daisy, and Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore

www.downtonabbeyfilm.co.uk

WIN A FABULOUS DOWNTON ABBEY GOODY BAG

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The post Downton Abbey 2: behind the scenes and goody bag giveaway! appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Nootropics are – according to Wikipedia – “drugs, supplements and other substances that are claimed to improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity or motivation in healthy individuals.” The word ‘claimed’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. So do nootropics actually work?

…the target market is old timers who are hoping to regain a fraction of the wakefulness and mental grip we took for granted not so long ago.

Lately, a number of beautifully packaged and branded sub-pharmacological propositions are being marketed at silver panthers, or whatever the marketing goons are calling the 50+ demographic this week. Basically, the target market is old timers who are hoping to regain a fraction of the wakefulness and mental grip we took for granted not so long ago.

I wanted to find out if these non-prescription novelties worked. I am 56, and general wear and tear is setting in.

Memory is a thing I remember fondly

This getting-old lark doesn’t sound so bad if you can laugh at yourself, I had thought, expecting it to start happening when I was 70. But no, it kicked in at 54. Suddenly, I was unable to ascend the stairs without blood draining from the brain to such a degree that I forgot the word ‘scissors’ long enough to remember that that’s why I went upstairs in the first place.

Two flights of stairs to the attic room and I was wiped clean. I could barely remember what year it was let alone the purpose of the mission. I had to stick a list of things I might go upstairs for to the landing wall. But I couldn’t read it because I lost my glasses. So I’d look for clues and spot a cup of tea I made half an hour earlier from a previous futile expedition upstairs.

This getting-old lark doesn’t sound so bad if you can laugh at yourself, I had thought, expecting it to start happening when I was 70. But no, it kicked in at 54.

The tea would be cold, most likely with an insect floating on the surface, but still look drinkable. So I’d take the tea downstairs, scoop out the fatality, and pop it in the microwave so my spirits would be revived and I could start again. Because – obviously – I’d rather take a layer of skin off my lower lip than admit defeat and waste 4p on a new teabag.

Halfway down the stairs, I’d congratulate myself for my economic insight. Perhaps I could share the tip with Martin Lewis at MoneySavingExpert.com. ‘Save money on hot drinks by sweeping the house for half-finished mugs of forgotten tea whenever you go upstairs’.

A never-ending cycle

Lost in this reverie, I failed to notice the cat asleep on the ninth step. Five years ago, my wife bought the cat in a conspiracy with the kids. I assume they chose it deliberately to blend in with the stair carpet. If not, it really is the most extraordinary coincidence. I wouldn’t be surprised if she took a swatch to the breeders to get a good match.

“That’s the colour and the pile I want! If he is going to trip and fall to his death, it needs to look plausible,” she would have said, while cheerfully packing the feline into the car.

I have not yet fallen to my death, but I have had a few close calls. It is at best very unsettling when a step gets up and bolts from beneath your feet, leaving you grasping the banister, heart thumping, system surging with cortisol and adrenaline. This is when I need a biscuit with my tea. I look for the biscuits in the kitchen – and there they are in a sealed packet. That’s why I was looking for the scissors! That cycle can go on for hours. Up and down the stairs, in and out of rooms, back to the kitchen, open the microwave, find another forgotten cup of tea…

Searching for a remedy

It is enough to drive you insane – and into the arms of snake oil salesmen, offering you a return to your scissor-sharp mind. So courtesy of Silver Magazine, I received taster packs of such products. Dr. Vegan offers Vegan Minds pills for memory and focus and Stay Calm pills to manage stress and anxiety. These were to be taken with food, which in my case often means burgers, bacon, or fish, but Dr. Vegan did not specifically counsel against meat-eating, except as a general moral principle.

Noggin meanwhile offers uppers and downers called Oomph and Pause (rather than Oomph and ‘00 mph’, which would have pleased me, but probably lost sales). These had a slightly more impressive list of ingredients than the vegan option – lion’s mane mushroom, rhodiola rosea extract and magnesium, alongside the usual alphabetical suspects. Vegan Minds contains no Magnesium (OMG!) but did have something called ‘BacoMind’ which I hoped might be a concession to carnivores.

So, did they work?

Hard to say. Perhaps I should have set myself specific tasks to determine the enhancement of my cognitive capacities but my daily pandemic schedule – walking the dog, tinkering with copy and providing subordinate services to my wife who is the main breadwinner and Head of Household – is perhaps not the best test of a world class intellect.

But I didn’t feel myself undergoing the kind of transformation one sees depicted in movies by flickering digital code and bullets floating harmlessly past your head. To be fair, neither of them did any harm either. And seeing one’s urine turn the colour of lemon curd, as one’s kidneys frantically try to eject the excess minerals does at least remind you of your good intentions.

I was a poor judge of the third product. Centra Peak, another vitamin-and-mineral concoction, arrived in stylish, masculine navy and bronze packaging. It too has a strong ingredient game, with several unique elements with harvested-from-the-secrets-of-the-rainforest-sounding names. Mucuna pruriens alone is worth the price of admission.

But I cannot pronounce a verdict on Centra Peak because its USP is that it is a male vitality booster that will “enhance your testosterone production”. If it can do so, more power to its elbow. But I found that my testosterone was catastrophically low some years ago and have been on a proper testosterone replacement therapy programme ever since. My testosterone levels were those traditionally associated with an 80-year-old man.

Better the devil you know

As far as over the counter remedies go, however, do any of them give you the kick that a double shot of artisan Arabica – or even a heavy spoonful of instant – can? No, I am afraid not.

When it comes to delivering a cognitive boost, three simple, legal things have worked for me. One is caffeine, obviously, and I dose up on that regularly. I’m sorry to say the second one is nicotine. I don’t use it anymore. But nicotine is a proven, effective cognitive enhancer.

But the third and most surprising boost was changing my diet. Wheat-based foods – bread, pasta, biscuits, and pies – and all sugars are gone. I eat toast in the evening much as one might take sleeping pills.

We are all different and trial-and-error is the only way to find out what works for you. But anything that pretends to deliver the punch of a controlled substance, presented in a jar that looks tasteful on your spice rack, is probably worth taking with a significant pinch of flavour-enhancing sea minerals.

You can follow Simon on Twitter at: @TheSimonEvans

Wondering about vitamin supplements? Find out more here. 

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The post Simon Evans: do nootropics work? appeared first on Silver Magazine.