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Dawn chorus: London’s ‘White House’ sells for £139 million, WNU pops up in Scotland and our quiz of the day
One of London’s biggest property sales, our favourite shirtmaker and Slow Horse’s Jack Lowden round out today’s Dawn Chorus.
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From fighting for stockings to flying on the Moon: How nylon changed the world
Almost 90 years after it was first discovered, Martin Fone looks at the history of this mass produced man-made fibre.
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Right on time: Our Luxury Editor’s favourites from LVMH Watch Week
Doesn’t time go by so fast? LVMH Watch Week is back for its sixth iteration and there are plenty of new and old faces to marvel at, says Hetty Lintell.
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Curious Questions: Why do woolly hats have bobbles?
Some can rock a bobble hat, others will always resemble Where’s Wally, but the big question is why the bobbles are there in the first place. Harry Pearson finds out as he celebrates a knitted that creation belongs on every hat rack.
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Style and substance: Why the handkerchief remains a small symbol of civilised behaviour
Once considered a luxury item and given as a love token — or even used as a makeshift toothbrush — the handkerchief still offers an elegance sorely lacking in a packet of paper tissues, says Matthew Dennison.
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How to dress with joy, elan, exuberance and carefully-managed extrovertism — no matter how old you are
A wardrobe consisting of the perfect balance of colour, character and joie de vivre might be hard to achieve, but is worth striving for. Simon Mills finds out how it’s done.
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Bentley launches new fragrance, causing me to briefly lose touch with reality
Bentley's has launched an Eau de Parfum named Become. James Fisher ponders the nature of the 21st-century economic system as a result.
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Anya Hindmarch: 'Luxury can become achingly boring and a bit worthy. I like things that make you smile’
The thrill of a new pencil case doesn’t fade with age, finds Jo Rodgers, on a visit to Anya Hindmarch’s new stationery pop-up shop.
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What (not) to wear at the Cheltenham Festival
Tips from an expert stylist on what to wear at one of the highlights of the racing calendar: the Cheltenham Festival.
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Luscious red or gorgeous green? 12 Valentine gifts to keep them keen, from £45 to £22k
Country Life's Luxury Editor Hetty Lintell picks out some wonderful Valentine's gifts in red or green.
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Curious Questions: How did they come up with the numbers for shoe sizes?
If you've ever wondered why a six is a six and a ten is a ten, so has Martin Fone. He decided to find out how we came to settle on the shoe size numbers we use today.
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Donald John Mackay, the Hebridean tweed weaver who has changed an entire industry
Given the chance create his very own ‘estate’ Harris tweed, David Profumo knocks at the door of Donald John Mackay, the Hebridean weaver who has changed an entire industry. Photographs by Glyn Satterley.
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Coco Chanel's enduring love affair with the English countryside
An affair with the 2nd Duke of Westminster introduced Coco Chanel to fly-fishing, Winston Churchill and the tweed clothing that shaped some of her most enduring designs, reveals Justine Picardie.
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Curious Questions: Do Panama hats actually come from Panama?
As supple as an Olympic gymnast and as uncrushable as the bulldog spirit, the Panama hat has long been a staple of the British gentleman’s summer attire. Harry Pearson takes a look at them, and answers the burning question: do Panama hats come from Panama?
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The Utterly Inessential Wimbledon Shopping List
We've rounded up all the utterly inessential products — posh tennis gear, in other words — that you absolutely do not need to enjoy Wimbledon, but would probably fancy having anyway.
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How a £25 set of fake pearls made £150k at auction — and were a bargain at the price
One man’s — or woman’s — trash really is another’s treasure says Giles Kime, as he looks at a fascinating sale taking place in London.
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Curious Questions: Who opened the first ever department store?
Forget the mid-19th century institutions of Harrods, Macy's or Bloomingdale's — the oldest department store in the world was founded in London in the 1780s. Martin Fone tells the story of Harding, Howell’s & Co Grand Fashionable Magazine.
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Curious Questions: Why do we call a waterproof rain coat a mackintosh?
Scotland has turned out endless inventors of great genius in the past few hundred years, and Charles Macintosh — the man who brought waterproof clothing to the world — was as successful as any of them. Martin Fone tells his story.
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70 years of style: The clothes of Queen Elizabeth II
Far from being a passive dresser, The Queen pays close attention to what she wears and what those clothes convey. She has left a lasting impression on the fashion industry, believes Justine Picardie.
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Jonathan Self: 'Shoes are part of what it means to be human — they were invented 4,000 years before the wheel'
Giving away his suits was one thing, but Jonathan Self struggled when it came to his classic brogues.
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English Tweed: The cloth made 'to look like grandpa wore it, but to feel like butter'
You might think tweed, named for the Scottish pronunciation of ‘twill’, is only made north of the border. Not so, says Mary Miers, who finds English makers are becoming a force to be reckoned with. Photographs by Mark Williamson.
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