Author: Lauren Bravo
Style & Social Media Columnist Lauren is a professional tweeter, pop culture junkie and Netflix addict. She's written about fashion since she was in flared jeans, and barely a trend goes by that she doesn't have an opinion on. An early adopter, she can usually be found hunting for a bargain on the virtual high street and blasting the latest high-tech skincare claims.
The rise of the wedding hashtag: do you REALLY need one?
Apparently 55 per cent of couples now have a dedicated wedding hashtag. That’s 55 per cent of couples surveyed by Mashable and The Knot, not 55 per cent of couples in the whole wide world – but still. Having leapt from only nine per cent in 2012, that’s a heck of an epidemic. And by…
Five situations in which we’d like to taste and smell with our phones (and three we really wouldn’t)
This week Adrian Cheok, professor of pervasive computing at City University London and the inventor of the Scentee, a Japanese iPhone attachment that emits pre-programmed scent, revealed that he's working on technology that will allow our smartphones to transmit taste and smell electronically. Considering how much of our youths we spent excitedly waiting for the…
How restaurant app Twizoo will make sure you never have a mediocre meal again
I can’t eat at a restaurant unless I’ve heard that it’s good. I need a Grace Dent endorsement, at least two trusted friend recommendations or at the very least a crinkled Time Out review blu-tacked up in the window before I can risk putting my stomach and wallet in an eatery’s hands. As afflictions go,…
The week in hashtags: #Bendgate, #OccupyCentral, #NotInMyName, #BakeOffInnuendo
#NotInMyName and #MuslimApologies In his speech at the United Nations last week, President Obama referenced East London’s Active Change Foundation – the community group who began the #notinmyname campaign earlier this month, encouraging young Muslims to add their voice to the fight against Islamic State. The hashtag spread fast, and the #notinmyname video was viewed…
How online retailers are finally, hopefully, starting to represent everybody’s bodies
We always knew we liked ModCloth. The US fashion site has swished into many shoppers’ hearts with its vintage-inspired frocks and eternally flattering silhouettes (we’re still waiting for a UK launch guys, but until then we’ll be sat patiently by the letterbox for 10 business days) – but now they’re on a mission to make…
The week in hashtags: #MFW, #HeForShe, #LessClassicallyBeautiful and more
#HeForShe Proving she can stand up to more than just dementors, Emma Watson had the crowd spellbound with her speech at the launch of the United Nations’ He For She campaign. Hogwarts puns aside, it was an emotional, provocative speech that challenged perceptions of women’s rights, inviting men and boys to become advocates for change…
Safety wearables for women are great, but we need humanity switched on too #WearablesWeek
Like many women, I walk home at night with my keys through my knuckles. I routinely end goodbyes to friends with the words, ‘text me to let me know you got home safe’. I constantly weigh up what’s better – keeping my phone in my hand so I can quickly call for help, or keeping…
Eight old TV shows we’d like on Netflix NOW please
At first you think you will never reach Netflix saturation point. The bounty! The volume! The unexpected quantity of Jennifer Aniston films you’ve never seen! And yet, after a few months of blissful cohabitation there will eventually come a point where you find yourself having your first fight with the search box. ‘What do you…
Is my phone charger a fire risk? And other boring but important safety questions answered
Could my phone charger burn my house down? Yes, if it’s dodgy. London Fire Brigade has warned of the dangers of counterfeit iPhone chargers, following a spate of recent house fires caused by cheap fakes. While buying the real deal from Apple might seem crazy expensive compared to the generic versions (which can be found…
What we learned from London Fashion Week SS15: streaming, social media and fibre optic frocks
If your name's not down, you're still coming in With 90 per cent of LFW shows being streamed live online this season, actually being there isn’t nearly as on-trend as it used to be. Which means your new excuse is 'oh of course I was invited – but who needs the hassle of the crowds…
