Of all the places you’d expect to see a woman walking barefoot, the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival is probably not one of them. And yet, this has become a somewhat regular occurrence at the annual shindig, where A-list actors, models and directors gather in their finest gladrags. Sure, the festival is ostensibly about celebrating the best of cinema. But it has also become one of the most significant events in the fashion calendar, with stars taking the opportunity to make both sartorial and political statements. However, out of all the trends that have prevailed, from cutout gowns to sheer sequins, the one that continually seems to trump them all is none other than women’s feet. And it’s already made headlines again this year, thanks to the likes of Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence and Isabelle Huppert, all of whom have made their own subtle nods to the political powers of their own feet. Traditionally, the Cannes dress code is rather strict: in 2015, a group of women in their fifties were reportedly turned away from a screening because they were wearing “rhinestone flats” instead of high heels. The story immediately prompted a backlash and accusations of sexism, with the festival’s director, Thierry Frémaux, denying that heels are mandatory: “The rumour saying the festival insists on high heels for women on the red carpet is unfounded,” he wrote in response to critics on Twitter. Nonetheless, female actors were quick to respond, with Emily Blunt saying at the time: “Everyone should wear flats, to be honest. We shouldn’t wear high heels.” The following year, Julia Roberts and Sasha Lane attended Cannes events barefoot. “The carpet was for our film and I was dressed in a very elegant gown and there’s a ton of stairs, and I’m walking around all day… so I will go barefoot,” Lane said in a later interview. “Why is anyone against that? I’m still here and well-dressed.” Lane’s comments were also echoed by Kristen Stewart, who once said of strict female dress codes: “I feel like you can’t ask people that anymore. If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you cannot ask me either.” The Twilight star famously took off her sky-high Christian Louboutin heels on the red carpet at Cannes in 2018, proceeding to walk the rest of the carpet barefoot. Official rule or not, there’s no mistaking that even now, in 2023, the pressures placed on women at black tie events such as Cannes are different to those placed on men. Sartorial convention has long defined occasionwear as anything that leaves your feet uncomfortable. Whether it’s a pump, sandal, or stiletto, the shoe needs to add some sort of height to your look in order to be considered formal and appropriate. It might seem like a small imposition, but if there’s anything this year’s red carpet has taught us, it’s that it can serve as a microcosm of much wider inequalities. Take Cate Blanchett, who last weekend at a Cannes party presented an award to the French-Iranian star Zahra Amir Ebrahimi. “I am going to take my heels off, in honour of the women of Iran,” she told the crowd, before holding up Ebrahimi’s pointed trophy to joke: “This is to stab everyone who stands in the way of women’s rights. Up the vajayjay!” The sentiment has also been referenced by Portman, Lawrence and Huppert at this year’s festival. On Saturday, while talking about her new film May December, Portman spoke about the idea of “performing femininity”, telling attendees that it’s something she’s “very curious about”. “The different ways that we as women are expected to behave – at this festival, even – compared to men,” she said. “How we’re supposed to look, how we’re supposed to carry ourselves.” Meanwhile, Lawrence arrived on the red carpet for the Bread and Roses premiere in a scarlet Dior gown paired with flip-flops. And as for Huppert, a perennial style maven at Cannes and beyond, she made a subtle nod to the shoe-less protests in a pair of Balenciaga heels that had been specially designed to resemble a bare foot. All this serves as a reminder that despite societal progressions, women’s bodies are still firmly policed in the public eye. If it’s not via their footwear, it’s via their actual outfits. Think supermodel Irina Shayk, whose outfits at Cannes events this year include a leather two-piece by Mowalola that exposed her entire torso, and a sheer black dress worn over a matching set of Gucci underwear. Elsewhere, we’ve seen Julia Fox don a completely see-through bodice with a white flowing skirt, while Naomi Campbell walked the red carpet in a scarlet gown with cutouts across her chest. Showing skin is nothing new among the fashion set, particularly given the resurgence of Y2K trends on the runways that continues to maintain its stronghold on the industry. (There has been talk of “naked dresses” for several seasons now, with influencers and stars all partaking in the art of wearing sheer gowns to formal affairs.) But bringing it to Cannes feels particularly poignant and in keeping with the barefoot brouhaha when you consider just how easily offended people are by such ensembles. The body-shaming prompted by Florence Pugh’s see-through Valentino frock last summer is just one example that springs to mind. Flashing a foot is, of course, somewhat different to flashing a nipple, but fundamentally the underlying message is the same. It’s about subverting the social conventions that oppress us. It’s about showing the world that women are fed up of being told what is and is not an acceptable way of presenting their bodies. And it’s about asking why we should still conform to dress codes informed by sexism when, as Blanchett pointed out, women’s rights continue to be subjugated around the world. With all this in mind, we’re not asking for much. The least people can allow us is to take off our heels or flash a little flesh without it having to be headline news. Read More Subversive? Dangerous? Boring?: How the red carpet became a barometer for modern masculinity Hostage to fashion: Margot Robbie’s Chanel problem speaks to a wider red carpet crisis Can casual sex ever really be casual? All the best-dressed stars at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Jennifer Lawrence stuns at Cannes Film Festival in red Dior gown - and flip-flops Amber Heard supporters react to Johnny Depp’s Cannes welcome

Chinese filmmaker Wang Bing got incredible access to the inner workings of his country's textile industry by spending five years with its employees, but he fears it may be more difficult...

Microsoft's historic $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard just cleared one of

A tech conference in Latvia is in hot water after organizers reportedly added the name

Quick links: BEST LIVE TV STREAMING SERVICE YouTube TV free trial, then $54.99/month for 3

Rising living costs are having a wide-ranging impact on our everyday lives, including when it comes to summer barbecues. In fact, the cost of food and drink for a typical summer barbecue in the UK could be around £10 more than last year, according to new calculations by Canada Life. The financial services provider, which used Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures to make the calculations, has put the cost of a typical barbecue at around £90, up from around £80 last summer. Of course, the actual cost will vary depending on exactly what you buy and how many people you’re catering for. In its basket of barbecue goods, Canada Life piled in products such as beef burgers, pork sausages, baking potatoes, chicken, meat-free sausages, veggie burgers, bread rolls, mayonnaise, cheese, salad ingredients, crisps, fizzy drink and alcoholic beverages. How can you keep barbecue costs down? If you’re keen to make the most of summer barbecue opportunities, but conscious of your budget too, Canada Life also has some tips. Spokesperson Shelley Greenwood suggests: “If you’re hosting more than once this summer, don’t throw out the charcoal after one use. Make sure you put out the fire safely and keep what is left in the barbecue for next time. Simply top up with new charcoal as needed.” Greenwood also suggests using price comparison apps such as Trolley to compare prices of items on your shopping list. “Then place your order through a cashback site to save even more,” she adds. She also suggests checking out apps for food in your local area that is being sold cheaply or perhaps even given away. For example, the Too Good to Go app allows people to search for bags of food being sold cheaply at places such as grocery stores, restaurants and cafes that might otherwise be destined to go to waste. Food sharing app Olio also helps stop surplus food going to waste, with users posting pictures of giveaways, including food and other items. Greenwood also suggests looking out for “yellow sticker” food items, which have been marked down in the supermarket, like cuts of meat or fish. Check these can be frozen and, if so, freeze them the same day and “simply defrost according to instructions ahead of your barbecue”, adds Greenwood. Also, rather than buying side dishes, go through your cupboards and fridge to see what ingredients could be transformed. Perhaps you could make your own pasta salad, or roast some tomatoes while you’re cooking something else, to create side dishes. You could also ask party guests to bring along a few sides to help share the costs. And if your priorities are more about having a summer gathering than firing up a barbecue, you could also consider by-passing the barbecue altogether and preparing food in your air fryer or slow cooker instead. Greenwood adds: “This way, you’re not reliant on the weather either.” Read More What I lost (and gained) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Woman says her life was ‘blown up’ by viral plane rant where she called passenger ‘not real’ How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 28, 2023--

Hugh Jackman has amused and confounded his followers after sharing a photo of his recent “cheat meal,” a plate of waffles topped with savoury mushrooms. Over the weekend, the Wolverine star took to Instagram to share photos of himself enjoying a meal at a waffle restaurant in England. The album began with an excited-looking Jackman holding up a fork, before including a photo of the menu at The Waffle House in Norwich. The post also included a photo of a plate of waffles topped with sauteed button mushrooms, and what appeared to be a red meat sauce and smoked ham cheddar cheese sauce. The dish was then garnished with herbs. The savoury waffles weren’t the only item ordered by the actor, however, as the post also included a photo of Jackman’s strawberry milkshake and one of his order of sweet waffles, which were topped with chocolate flakes, banana, peanut butter and powdered sugar. “Happy cheat meal to me! Nooo! I did not share. And I’m not sorry,” the actor captioned the photo album. However, in the comments, many of Jackman’s fans were confused by the first waffle combination, with some questioning the unique pairing. “MUSHROOMS ON WAFFLES? IS THIS THE WOLVERINE DIET?” one person jokingly asked, while another wrote: “Third pic is criminal.” “A cheat meal NEVER includes mushrooms,” someone else claimed, as another critic wrote: “Sweet waffle yes! Savoury, nooo!” Despite the concern from some of Jackman’s followers over the savoury-topped waffle, others said they’d happily indulge in the actor’s cheat meal. “OMG! I’ve never had a savoury-topped waffle but that looks delicious!! You deserve to enjoy all of your cheat meal so I’m glad you didn’t share,” one person commented, while another said: “Just give me those mushrooms and I’ll be in heaven.” The meal also prompted some to compare the savoury dish to chicken and waffles, with one viewer urging a critic to try the popular dish “with a side of mashed potatoes”. This is not the first time Jackman has shared insight into his unlikely “cheat meals,” as the actor previously told E! News that he enjoys “sort of weird simple stuff like lasagna”. “It’s sort of weird simple stuff like lasagna,” he said. “I like breakfast cereal at 11 at night, all that kind of easy simple stuff. In Australia, it’s meat pies.” Read More Hugh Jackman reveals he tested negative for skin cancer after undergoing two biopsies Child, 8, raises more than $37,000 to help his favourite Waffle House employee get a car Ditch Deliveroo – make these healthy, 30-minute pizzas instead The dish that defines me: Eddie Huang’s Taiwanese beef noodle soup Nutritionist explains how women can eat to help balance hormones

TL;DR: As of September 8, get the SkinGear Electric Facial Gua Sha for just $59.99

Summer is almost here and Target's summer kickoff sale has a few deals that can

Everyone's favorite chatbot can now see and hear and speak. On Monday, OpenAI announced new

A new animal welfare law in Spain outlaws the use of animals for recreational activities that cause them pain and suffering but allows bullfights and hunting with dogs