Alexander Skarsgård’s latest film Pillion is about a biker in a BDSM relationship. But you might have guessed that even before you bought your popcorn – if you happened to catch Skarsgård on the red carpet at premieres for the film, wearing the clothes that signal this culture: leather trousers, black boots and a slightly risqué halterneck-style shirt. If that all sounds a little out-there – although it tracks with Skarsgård’s recent style experimentations, which have also seen him wear tiny shorts and sports jacket on a talk show – it’s actually part of a wider trend on the red carpet, one where actors directly reference the film they are promoting in the outfits they’re wearing. It’s all very meta.

Unless you count yourself among that rare group of responsible adults who complete their shopping before the first frost, you’re probably staring at a half-empty gift list with mounting unease. Holiday shopping, after all, breeds its own little ecosystem of anxiety – a blend of performative cheer, desire to get the perfect gift and the nagging suspicion that other people are better at this than you.

It used to be that, when it came to the gifting season, a wallet was a sure bet. A man might have all the money he needs to buy himself anything that he wants, but he would still need something to put it in first. Only, as with so many aspects of our lives, the digital revolution means that many of us no longer carry around actual tender.

In recent years, country life has changed. And so, we’re updating our guidance on what to wear when venturing beyond the metropolis for the weekend. Back in the 2010s, dressing for the country was still governed by ideas that were more Downton than downtown, long after old-fashioned rural lifestyles had gone from feeling aspirational to looking anachronistic. What has happened since? A combination of the pandemic, the mania around England’s Cotswolds, full-fibre broadband, remote-working and the cost of urban property has produced a demographic shift – and you can now lead a 21st-century life in the country.

Alexander Skarsgård’s latest film Pillion is about a biker in a BDSM relationship. But you might have guessed that even before you bought your popcorn – if you happened to catch Skarsgård on the red carpet at premieres for the film, wearing the clothes that signal this culture: leather trousers, black boots and a slightly risqué halterneck-style shirt. If that all sounds a little out-there – although it tracks with Skarsgård’s recent style experimentations, which have also seen him wear tiny shorts and sports jacket on a talk show – it’s actually part of a wider trend on the red carpet, one where actors directly reference the film they are promoting in the outfits they’re wearing. It’s all very meta.

Unless you count yourself among that rare group of responsible adults who complete their shopping before the first frost, you’re probably staring at a half-empty gift list with mounting unease. Holiday shopping, after all, breeds its own little ecosystem of anxiety – a blend of performative cheer, desire to get the perfect gift and the nagging suspicion that other people are better at this than you.