The truth about female stereotypes
There are now hundreds of labels for women - hundreds of stereotypes, typecasts, categorisations. Some are offensive. Some are dismissive. Some are almost true. But are they all a cliché too far? Meet the City high flyer who's expecting her eighth child, the hip hop girls who dabble in property ... By Daisy Garnett.

Fat girl thin
Successful dieters come in a range of sizes but they have one thing in common, say Polly Vernon and India Knight - self-delusion.

The funniest woman you've never heard of
Sharon Horgan is harsh, haughty and very funny indeed. She wrote the best sitcom of 2006. She's the hottest thing in British comedy. So, asks Polly Vernon, how come you've got no idea who she is?

Would you buy a love affair from this man?
Is it possible to have no-strings, extramarital sex without wrecking your relationship? Edward Marriott meets the man who makes it happen - and some of his satisfied customers.

How I get dressed
Alber Elbaz, 45, designer

Upfront
Everybody's talking about ... hair accessories.

What I know about women ...
Paul Verhoeven

What I know about men ...
Sarah Beeny, 34, TV presenter

The ex files
Each month two former lovers explain what went wrong.

Beauty queen
From laser treatment to lipgloss - is it worth paying more?

Beauty test: winter rescue
Kathleen Baird-Murray on good heavy-duty winter products.

Sex life, the universe, everything
Can self-help books change your life? Kathryn Flett reads between the lines.