Now We Are 40

13 Flat White (#litres_trial_promo)

14 Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels (#litres_trial_promo)

15 Is It My Go on the iPad Now? (#litres_trial_promo)

16 Amy Winehouse, RIP (#litres_trial_promo)

17 Going Green, Finally (#litres_trial_promo)

18 Will House Prices Ever Stop Going Up? (#litres_trial_promo)

19 The Speed of Things (#litres_trial_promo)

20 Where We Are Headed (#litres_trial_promo)

Appendix (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Going Up, Going Down (#u83ea2665-dfc5-55b9-b89d-a5b454d29081)

When I edited the Sunday Times Style magazine, the ‘Going Up, Going Down’ column became something of a cult read. Readers furiously measured themselves against it: were they still wearing one of the trends we would cruelly consign to ‘Going Down’? Were they already ordering the cocktail that we would crown in ‘Going Up’? A shortcut to everything that is in and out of favour, like the best journalism the column was born of instinct, wit and inside knowledge. Or just how ravaging our hangovers were on a Thursday morning.

This is my version of what it’s like being in your forties.

UP

Boden

Strangely good these days

Zoopla and Rightmove

Better than sex

Food

OBSESSED. When your buckwheat risotto says more about you than your vintage Prada

Witness the fitness

The Iron Man entry form is the new trophy wife; sleeveless dresses the status symbol of acceptable upper-arm tone

Paaarty!

The skills are honed

Our kids

A confetti canon of love on permanent explosion

Home economics

What you used to spend on shoes, you now spend on mid-century modern furniture

Wise, but not smug

Yep – we know stuff now. But we still want to know more

Cool

Still like it. Love it actually

DOWN

Hangovers

Crucifying. And getting worse

Luxury labels

So new money. Unless it’s Gucci. Or Balenciaga. Do keep up

Having it all

Overrated

Smartphones

Remember that time when we used to go places with people and do things? Walk along the street without bumping into people? No, me neither

Botox denial

Don’t get left behind, pruneface

God

Who?

Parenting

Torturous, difficult, exhausting, boring, life-limiting, endless

Money

Suddenly, irritatingly, an issue