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Dressing for winter cold March 27, 2009

Filed under: Lifestyle, fashion — Jennifer @ 5:18 pm
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With the leaves shedding their leaves and the amount of daylight rapidly decreasing, it can only mean one thing … winter is nearly here. Despite the fact that recent winters have been warm compared to the weather of the more ‘traditional’ winters of years gone by, this winter is set to be cooler than recent winters so don’t be surprised if we do get a fair few chilly snaps during the winter months! When winter arrives we must have our wardrobes prepared with all of the correct clothing and wellies because although it might not be that cold outside, colds and pneumonia can easily be picked up if one isn’t wrapped up. This is especially true for young children as they can be extremely susceptible to the cold.

Dressing children is not easy at the best of times but it is especially difficult during the winter months because numerous layers need to be worn, especially on icy days. I believe that the most important item of clothing for a child during winter is a thermal vest, I used to wear one every icy day! These are especially important because children have a tendency to remove their coats in the playground when the sun comes and they are running about because the temperature can feel quite deceptive. If this does happen then their chests have more protection than usual and could keep away the dreaded colds.

It is also a necessity to keep a child dry because sitting in wet clothes for long periods of time can bring about colds and other illnesses. This means that a good branded waterproof coat is needed that also has a good quality hood that can block the wind from the child’s head.

On particularly cold days it is always important for a child to wear the good old combination of a hat, scarf and gloves! It is highly important to keep a child heads nice and warm as the majority of body heat is lost through the head. A scarf is important to keep the chest extra toasty and keep cold and flu at bay. Furthermore, children’s hands are very delicate and become cold very quickly so gloves are a must, especially in the snow.

Finally, wellingtons or other kinds of boots are good for a child to wear in winter. This is mostly to ensure that the feet are kept dry because the extremities of the body can become extremely cold when wet and when your feet and socks are wet it certainly isn’t a nice feeling!

Keeping a child warm on cold winter days is of extreme importance because they are extremely susceptible to the cold. However, with only a few precautions they will be able to enjoy the snow, when it comes, and you will not have to worry.

 

Fashion shopping virtual or real March 18, 2009

Filed under: Online Shopping, fashion — Jennifer @ 3:42 pm
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It’s great to see so many shops have their wares online. It’s great to see size 8 models on websites looking oh so fabby in a lovely dress. Even better when they offer next day delivery. Yeah, that’s great – but does the item have a chance of looking so great when you arrive home to find it waiting there for you? Sometimes, eh, no.

I love web shopping, I do it quite a lot. I don’t have to put on any clothes to go out in the pouring rain to try on some new pieces.

That said however, I’ve had my share of disappointments. It looks great on the screen, even when I zoomed in to see the actual material and thread count. When it arrived – oh boy! Did I make a mistake?

I also love real shopping. Your feet get sore, you get fed up trying on clothes. You get fed up with people pushing past you in the isles and grabbing the last size 14 you needed in that purple satin bustier….However, you do get to try the item on in the shop, you do get to see the price ticket marked down as there is a very small (almost inconspicuous) little stain on one side. You get to grab the sense of real bargains that you couldn’t get online.

 

Classic shirts to look good March 2, 2009

Filed under: Accessories, Men's fashion, Mens shirt, brands — Jennifer @ 12:52 pm
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An Oxford shirt would definitely count as a classic shirt due to its over all style and look. Wearing an Oxford shirt really makes you look as well as feel the part. It is arguably best to get an Oxford shirt out of your wardrobe (or if you have not got one go and buy one) when it is vital that you make a big impression.

On the other hand whilst Polo shirts have long been considered to be a classic shirt they have lost a bit of their class in recent years. Polo shirts have become increasingly popular as part of work place uniforms as companies have gone from the traditional collar and tie look. I do not know about anybody else but I would not like to go out in a Polo shirt if it looked like somebody else’s work uniform.

Even sports shirts are now been described as classic shirts. If you support a Football League club the chances are that you can buy a replica shirt from the 1950s or the 1970s that will cost the same as their current shirt and will not be able to buy them half price at the end of each season.

 

Skiing – Its appeal to amateurs and enthusiasts alike January 12, 2009

Filed under: Seasons, fashion — Jennifer @ 5:51 pm
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With winter getting into full swing the mountain tops around Europe and North America will be turning whiter and whiter in preparation for the forthcoming skiing season. Skiing is a hugely popular sport as well as hobby for many people across the world, especially in central areas of Europe such as Switzerland and Austria. Skiing is such an attractive sporting prospect to many people because of the diversity that it can provide all in one sport.

You can have simple long distance skiing which will could be compared to a long distance running race or you can have the exciting slaloms which take place down steep mountain sides at incredibly high speeds but require high amounts of skill and technical ability. This type of skiing discipline is extremely exciting to punters as it is made up of countless sharp twists and turns and you can witness some dramatic falls. In addition to this you will find that the Super-G and downhill events are extremely popular too because they are solely based upon high speed and who doesn’t love speed!

Why would you want to ski? Not only is skiing an exciting sport to observe it is also an excellent hobby to take up. Skiing is now hugely fashionable and many top designers are now producing collections of ski wear. It really doesn’t matter whether you are the next great talent or just fancy the challenge, skiing is a just great sport to enjoy. First of all, the health benefits are excellent. High amounts of strength are required in skiing in order to balance out the wide variety of forces that act upon you.

This would work your core muscles excellently. The sport of skiing also improves one’s suppleness as your body is required to lean and change body shape in order to complete the turns. Perhaps the most important health aspect involved with is the cardiovascular workout it provides, you will soon feel your heart pumping as you descend the slope!

However, it would be silly to forget the fun involved and the adrenaline rush that it provides! There are more skiing options now than ever before and you don’t always have to travel abroad to go skiing. Scotland has quite a good skiing industry and you have many options there, especially during a good winter and I think this year may be one of them. Alternatively, you have the countries that surround the Alps, such as France, Switzerland and Austria. These countries always have reliable snow totals. Even further afield you have many ski resorts in America and Canada but it is a long way to go to ski!

Perhaps the most convenient options are the artificial slopes, there are now a few centres dotted around the UK and can provide the skiing experience without the expensive trip and the perishing cold! These are good ways or getting some good experience before hitting the real slopes.

 

Supermarket Style November 21, 2008

Filed under: Lifestyle, fashion — Jennifer @ 12:50 pm
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When it comes to purchases clothes for children I would say that value is the most important element. The value however has to be good quality or it usually becomes a false economy!
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I don’t believe that paying two or three times as much for childrens outfits just because they have a designer slogan or label to them necessarily makes them a good quality item and I have experienced poor quality items with logo’s that are older children want.

Some how ever have been fine and I feel with older children the need to break the bank occasionally for them to have a few items to dress with more value items works well and helps to keep them trendy or like their friends and so boost there self esteem.
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I do however feel it important for children to understand the value of there choices as to benefit them for when they are older and for them to basically learn learn that at times it’s nice to have a treat but it would be foolish to do this all the time and to teach them how to make some clothing look fashionable and be good value by using a mixture of clothes.

 

When You’re Just Too Tired … October 14, 2008

Filed under: Lifestyle, Men's fashion, Womens Fashion, fashion — Jennifer @ 7:57 pm
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Yes, we all have those days! Sometimes we just want to wear those faded jeans, last year’s favourite shirt, and wear our favourite rubber shoes/sandals, and just go out. Unfortunately, sometimes we just can’t do that, especially if work requires that you look your best. Here are some tips on what you should do during those days:

Try wearing your favourite colour/dress, if it’s possible. It really doesn’t matter what colour it is, since what’s important is you know you love the colour/dress and this can really help perk you up.
Try putting on fragrance that makes you feel good. The power of a lovely scent can bring back wonderful memories to increase your energy level.
Wear something comfortable, but not comfortable enough to make you feel like you want to sleep right there and then! Choose a material that is comfortable, but still makes you look your best, like satin or velvet.
Try wearing make-up that will make you look “alive” and conceal those dark circles under your eyes. Some blush and good lipstick colour will help you feel much better too!

It is really these days that we need to take extra effort to make ourselves look real good and with the right attitude and some basic know-how, we will learn to achieve that.

 

Local brand loyalty September 30, 2008

Filed under: Lifestyle, fashion — Jennifer @ 9:24 am
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When it comes to outdoor clothing, I really don’t think it should matter whether it was manufactured in the UK or the US. Some people may think that outdoor clothing that is made in the UK is more suitable for UK climates, rather than clothes that are made abroad, but this is far from accurate.

 

Many top brands started off in the United States, but now they have a huge base in the United Kingdom and I doubt that many people would even realise which brands originated from which country. Some companies may start off small in one country, then expand and move their businesses to another country, so a brand that was once a UK brand, could now be thought of as a US brand name.

 

Regardless of where clothing is manufactured, if it is being marketed and sold in a particular country then it will be suitable for wear in that country. All aspects of clothing are considered when deciding which country to market them in, such as sizing, pricing and what sort of styles sell well in a certain country, as styles to tend to vary slightly of certain items in the UK and the US.

 

Some people are more patriotic and would prefer to only wear UK brands in the UK, in order to help support our industries and our economy, rather than helping out another country, but on the whole, I really don’t think that people mind whether they wear UK or US clothing and certainly do not judge other people for wearing American brands in the UK. American brands are widely advertised and are big business all around the world, not just in the US or UK, so it is acceptable for people all around the world to wear US brands if they want to.

 

When you see a brand you like, it is all about the style and the fashion statement, not about the country in which it was manufactured. So, if Haglofs is your favourite brand then buy their clothing, regardless of whatever anyone else says. Which country that a brand of clothing originates from is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when making a purchase and it is unlikely to change the minds of the majority of consumers.

 

A designer handbag:every girl’s dream August 22, 2008

Filed under: Accessories, Lifestyle, Womens Fashion, fashion — Jennifer @ 11:47 am
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Nowadays a handbag isn’t just something you carry around to help you with your shopping, it’s something you wear when you go shopping. It is a statement, of who you are and where you’re headed.

Big, small, long, short, designer, high street… they’re are so many different types walking into the cheapest high street store is a shopper’s paradise! But with an unlimited budget a trip to a Harvey Nicks would be a must.

Do you buy Gucci-the upmarket designer label for the sophisticated lady amongst us, Dolce & Gabbana for the stylish luxury-laden woman, Chloe for the trendy fashionista, Prada for the latest must-have buy or Balenciaga for the bag that will inevitably ooze glamour.

For me, there’s only one designer that i’d fight my way to the checkout for and that’s Balenciaga-a slight newcomer in the fashion magazines thanks partly to the growing phenomenon of the WAGs but by far the best for up-to-date trends that will leave you looking fabulous all summer!

 

Fashion shopping virtual or real August 14, 2008

It’s great to see so many shops have their wares online. It’s great to see size 8 models on websites looking oh so fabby in a lovely dress. Even better when they offer next day delivery. Yeah, that’s great – but does the item have a chance of looking so great when you arrive home to find it waiting there for you? Sometimes, eh, no.

I love web shopping, I do it quite a lot. I don’t have to put on any clothes to go out in the pouring rain to try on some new pieces.

That said however, I’ve had my share of disappointments. It looks great on the screen, even when I zoomed in to see the actual material and thread count. When it arrived – oh boy! Did I make a mistake?

I also love real shopping. Your feet get sore, you get fed up trying on clothes. You get fed up with people pushing past you in the isles and grabbing the last size 14 you needed in that purple satin bustier….However, you do get to try the item on in the shop, you do get to see the price ticket marked down as there is a very small (almost inconspicuous) little stain on one side. You get to grab the sense of real bargains that you couldn’t get online.

 

Clothes that fit August 12, 2008

Filed under: Lifestyle, Men's fashion, Mens shirt, Womens Fashion, fashion — Jennifer @ 8:57 am
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It is always important to go for the best possible fit and in today’s day and age if you are petite you do not have to compromise and go for more regular sized clothes and have them resized as there are many companies out there that do cater for petite smaller framed people.

These clothes would be shaped all over for that body frame and you would be far more likely to get a better all over fit.

It would be harder to suggest what shape certain items should be as petite women can have the same fitting issues as taller or middle of the road people would have. You can still have longer legs shorter body or shorter legs, longer body or be top heavy, bottom heavy etc.

The only real ever true way to find your own perfect fit is to buy for your body size, and try things on. Taking advice from any available personal shoppers is also a good idea as would be ready some style books or magazines for ideas for your shape. Take a good long look in the mirror whilst naked, truthfully assess your shape and size but trial and error is the only real way to find what is good for you!