‘If you kick someone, they go boing!’: why is everyone suddenly wearing Big Ugly Boots?

The MSCHF x Crocs collab is about more than mere stunt dressing, as consumers become both the audience for and the butt of the joke

My big Birmingham bookshop crawl: why booksellers are suddenly thriving

In 2009, two bookshops a week were closing in the UK and the days of physical books seemed numbered. Now, indie stores are booming. What explains the turnaround – and can it be sustained?

Barbie is now queen. But for my generation, Sindy reigned supreme

Sindy turns 60 this year, and at her peak had 80% of the UK’s ‘fashion doll’ market. What led to her cruel demise?

Stop phubbing! The 10 rules of smartphone etiquette – from the bathroom to your bed

How do you use your phone without snubbing everyone around you? Experts explain when to pick it up and when to switch on ‘do not disturb’

Everyone here is called Ken! Inside BarbieCon, the other Barbie event of the summer

A yearly convention brings together superfans for shopping, fashion shows and workshops on making doll-sized tropical drinks – if you can score a ticket

Symphony for the devil: Mick Jagger’s 80 greatest moments, on his 80th birthday

The singer who invented the very idea of the frontman has reached his ninth decade. We pick out the Jagger-iest moments of all, from killer lyrics to self-mocking sketches

Paunch-free zone: why the Barbie movie’s body diversity message shortchanges Ken

Greta Gerwig’s empowerment movie is unarguably righteous. But when Barbie being lifted up seems to depend on Ken being pushed down, it rings a little hollow

Barbie look out, Sindy is plotting her return to British children’s hearts

Undaunted by her American cousin’s big screen debut, the UK doll is coming out of retirement for a new generation of fans

Barbie v Oppenheimer: dolls trump nukes as blockbusters hit screens

Glasgow crowds root for Greta Gerwig’s bubblegum satire over Christopher Nolan’s atom bomb saga

Uncharted territory: do AI girlfriend apps promote unhealthy expectations for human relationships?

Chatbots such as Eva AI are getting better at mimicking human interaction but some fear they feed into unhealthy beliefs around gender-based control and violence

Fedoras on top as Cillian Murphy moves on from flat caps

Retailers report rise in sales after Cillian Murphy dons ‘cross between a porkpie and a fedora’ for Christopher Nolan epic

Experience: Keanu Reeves ‘crashed’ my wedding

I went outside and he was standing there, almost sheepish and shy

10 great Barbie video games

Beyond the expected fashion designing and beach parties, Barbie games have explored her more adventurous side – from jungle adventurer to swashbuckling heroine

You be the judge: should my brothers stop posting memes and respond to my messages?

Chante would like to have real communication with her brothers on Instagram, but they just use it to send memes they find funny. You decide who needs to app their game

The Beanie Bubble review – plushie-craze toy story goes down the cute route

The true story behind the once popular children’s playthings is taken on here by a decent cast who can’t stop proceedings unravelling