Over the past two weeks Penélope Cruz has trodden a dozen red carpets from Moscow to Cannes to promote the fourth instalment of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, On Stranger Tides.
Her outfits, although fittingly glamorous for the Hollywood A-lister she is, seemed to me to miss an obvious trick. Too groomed, by far. I would have loved to see the Spanish beauty wearing something by Penny Rose, the wardrobe designer behind all the Pirates movies, rather than the velvet Emilio Pucci day suit (worn in Moscow), the romantic Marchesa evening dress (California), the striking white Givenchy haute couture gown (London), the dressed-down Hakaan jumpsuit (Madrid), or even the red shiny Armani Privé number (Cannes).
For the latest swashbuckling epic, Rose did a splendid job with Cruz, who was pregnant throughout, disguising her bump under heaving corsets and romantic ruffled blouses. She looks like a dashing principal boy with her buccaneer jacket and L'Oréal-endorsed locks flowing beneath her plumed wide hat.
But "Angelica", the pirate daughter of Black Beard, lost out on the film's best wardrobe and in particular, accessories. Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow got these.
Although it would be fair to say Depp's comical Highwayman-meets-gritty-Keith-Richards-esque-rockstar get-up hasn't evolved much since its first outing in 2003, never before (bizarrely) has the pirate-theme struck such a fashionable chord.
I left the cinema deafened by the soundtrack of thundering horse hoofs and crashing metal swords, and equally hypnotised by Depp's jangling necklaces, earrings, plaits and clanking beaded head ornaments, which truly took advantage of 3D technology by darting this way and that.
The film made me long for the sort of noisy, jangling jewellery that announces your arrival. Then and there I wanted to pile on bangles and necklaces, and dig out my Marsha Varrow rings that feature tiny quivering diamond butterflies with moving winds, and wobbly gold baubles that clink like wind chimes.
Having spent the earlier part of the day looking through autumn/winter 2011/12 designer images, it also felt spooky seeing clothes on the big screen that seemed to mirror what we recently saw on the catwalks. From Karl Lagerfeld's dandified and caped 2012 Chanel collection to Marc Jacobs' leather corsets and Haider Ackermann's swathed dresses, which appeared sliced as if by a pirate's sword.
Cruz could have worn any outfit by Ackermann, accessorised by his pirate-like wide belts with big, gold buckles and gauntlet gloves, and no one would have been the wiser.
What a pity, too, that she didn't wear a hat, not even a candy-pink wide-brimmed fedora from Maison Michel; that would have been more exciting than her red-carpet jewels (which looked like they belonged to someone's grandmother).
Statement jewellery, such as dramatic gold accessories, the sort that look like they might have been plundered from a treasure chest, are key to this summer and look great with maxis and wide-legged trouser-suits. And what better than gold - lots of it and all worn at once - to offset top-to-toe eye-popping brights? There has never been a better excuse to show off your Cartier Love bracelet collection or Georg Jensen ring hoard.
The bohemian, loose and long and flowing 1970s vibe, with its clashing exotic prints, actually looks far better with accessories the size of small fruit, or indeed actual fruit (Prada, for example, has done bananas).
Navajo-style thongs that you once could only find in California are now all over Topshop. The classiest versions include those by Erickson Beamon, which use slivers of agate for its pendants, and Vanessa Arizaga, whose feathered, beaded and necklaces have that 'I've-been-marooned-on-a-desert island feel. Then there is insect jewellery. Flies, bees, bugs, scarab beetles and creepy crawlies are flying out of fashionable boutiques. Lady Gaga is wearing animal brooches by Lea Stein.
And speaking of pirates, we must not forget skull and crossbones. Alexander McQueen will officially launch jewellery this September but until then there are plenty of labels using McQueen signature skulls, snakes and bones as inspiration.
We will have to wait until mid-June to see whether menswear embraces pirate chic (the spring/summer 2012 designer men's shows kick off in Milan then pick up in Paris on June 23).
In the meantime go see the new Pirates movie - just don't buy the T-shirt. Instead throw a snakeskin belt over loose silk trousers, layer tops under a tunic, to resemble that romantic pirate shirt, tie a scarf around your head and pile on the accessories. If it's good enough for Johnny Depp …
UAE Falcons
Carly Lewis (captain), Emily Fensome, Kelly Loy, Isabel Affley, Jessica Cronin, Jemma Eley, Jenna Guy, Kate Lewis, Megan Polley, Charlie Preston, Becki Quigley and Sophie Siffre. Deb Jones and Lucia Sdao – coach and assistant coach.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (87')
Athletic Bilbao 1
Williams (14')
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
10pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
HEADLINE HERE
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
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Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Jawan
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.