Catwalk styles for less: A twenties moment

Posted by admin on May 15, 2012 in Style and Design | 0 comments

Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of The Great Gatsby isn’t set for release in the UK or US until December this year, but it is already influencing fashions.
In an article examining designer Ralph Lauren’s involvement with the 1974 version of the film, Vogue writer Mark Holgate says that the catwalk king’s spring 2012 collection “is an homage to the world he helped create so indelibly all those years ago”, and describes the looks Lauren created this season as “gentle, romantic, yet moneyed”. He discusses the paradoxical elements of the style, referring to the masculine, structured jackets and the slinky feminine slips. To read the whole article click here.

This “moneyed” look doesn’t have to require the riches it implies. Although genuine vintage dresses from the 1920s could cost you a fortune, especially with the fetish for over-priced vintage that is rife at the moment, new pieces that give just the same sense of drama and timeless elegance are in fact available, and not just from designer labels such as Ralph Lauren.
The silvery mink-coloured georgette beaded dress available here conveys all the glamour of the Roaring Twenties, without the designer or hiked-up price tag. The Vogue article notes the use of textures such as feathers and beads to express the elegance of the period, and embellishment – on not only dresses but shoes too – has earned a clear place in the fashion pages lately, meaning it should be an easy to find and therefore a relatively inexpensive addition to the look.

The budget kitchen: getting a retro look

Posted by admin on May 11, 2012 in Style and Design | 0 comments

The kitchen is one of the most -if not the most – important rooms in the house, and giving it a new look is a great way to add life to your home and create a real talking point among your friends. Retro looks especially have a major impact, but to get a great new kitchen you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune.

One simple way to give your kitchen a great retro feel is with a black and white checked floor. While replacing the floor might seem like a mammoth and expensive task, it actually isn’t; by using simple peel and stick tiles you can get a high-impact retro look on the cheap. Alternatively, if you have an artistic bent, you can paint plain linoleum flooring in this style.

If you don’t want to replace your cabinets, think about giving them a lick of paint – two-tone with the bottom half in a darker shade works well in retro kitchens. With the money you save by reusing your existing units, you can freshen them up further by adding new door pulls and handles – chrome is a big feature of retro style, so check out these examples for inspiration.

Once you have a genuine retro base, you can slowly build the look by adding choice pieces from vintage shops and antique stores whenever you see a great bargain.

How to make your caravan holiday a real money saver

Posted by admin on May 11, 2012 in Holiday and Leisure | 0 comments

Caravanning is a great way to get out and enjoy a well-earned holiday without breaking the bank, with Brits looking to make cut backs as the country returns to recession. While a caravan holiday allows you to avoid the costs associated with flights and accommodation, following a few basic rules will ensure that your trip becomes a real money saver.

Shop around for pitch sites – the most popular ones in the best location are likely to be more expensive than independently run sites that a little less well known and off the beaten track. Remember – you’ll have your car with you, so you don’t have to be camped right in the centre of the action.

You’ll need to remember to have suitable caravan insurance, but shop around for this too; use comparison sites as a guide but you’ll probably get the best deals by going to the provider directly. However, the major cost of this type of holiday will be fuel. Pump prices have reached record levels in recent weeks, and extra weight means the engine has to work harder to move you along. So while having a caravan might have you thinking about bringing along all sorts of home comforts, try and restrict the amount of weight you’re towing. Another way to reduce your fuel usage is to manage your speed. By planning ahead and avoiding excessive acceleration and engine revving, you’ll reduce your fuel consumption.

When planning activities for the break, do some research beforehand and try and take advantage of the many free options available. The National Trust has a range of great activities for kids , so get looking!

Saving on clothes: Plan your holiday wardrobe now

Posted by admin on May 9, 2012 in Holiday and Leisure | 0 comments

When planning a holiday, many people wait until the last minute to make their bookings, hoping to take advantage of significant discounts. While this can be a big money-saver, you may find that some of those savings are lost if you have to buy all your holiday clothes all at once, at the last minute. By planning ahead and shopping around now for early-season discounts, you can have a great wardrobe wherever you plan to go.

As well as beachwear, which is what most people think of when it comes to holiday clothes, you’ll want a range of bright and light summer options for the warmer weather. The key to assembling a good holiday wardrobe is versatility; you want clothes that can adapt to different looks, giving you better options from fewer items. The good news is that pastels – all very versatile – are going to be big this summer, so start looking for those soft blues, oranges and yellows, as well as mint green. Floral prints will also be as popular as ever, but so will classic block colour.

Ladies with curves should not feel left out either, the likes of Marisota are embracing the latest trends in sizes suitable for plus-size ladies. Just think about getting together those holiday essentials at the right price – it’ll have less impact on your bank balance and reduce your pre-holiday stress no end!

Now may be the time to renew your insurance cover

Posted by admin on May 9, 2012 in Budgeting Guides | 0 comments

If you’re looking to make savings on your monthly outgoings – and, let’s face it, most of us are right now – then this could be a good time to shop around for new home insurance cover. Research from the AA suggests that home insurance premiums fell slightly in the first three months of the year, after a long period of steady increases.

This will be welcome news to homeowners who have been suffering the rising cost of living in recent months, but it remains unclear whether this is simply a blip or a reversal of the upward trend. For the cautious saver, now may be the right time to look at finding a home insurance policy.

However, if you are planning to make home improvements over the coming weeks – and HSBC suggests that many people are – it is important that you factor this in when seeking out new insurance. Obviously it is not necessary to inform your insurer if you are painting a bedroom, but any significant change to the property which may alter the value should be reported to have the cover adjusted.

Also if you’re planning to make improvements which make a property more secure – such as adding a burglar alarm or double-glazed windows – you should tell your insurer, as you may be able to make noticeable savings on your premiums.

Build a spring wardrobe around a great pair of jeans

Posted by admin on Apr 21, 2012 in Style and Design | 0 comments

If you’re looking to update your spring wardrobe but need to watch the pennies this year, then a good pair of jeans. Strong denims will feature in most wardrobes anyway, but their versatility allows you build a number of on-trend looks around them without having to buy a number of separate, complete outfits.

When it comes to colour, cut and fit, jeans are a very personal choice, but this pair is ideal for plus-size ladies as it utilises a boot cut to flatter the figure. A good pair of jeans can then be complemented by everything from t-shirts to tops, light dresses and smart blouses.

Floral patterns are usually big in spring, and this year is no exception. The bolder the better seems to be the order of the day, perfectly displayed here by Scarlet Johansson. If flowers aren’t your thing, however, incorporate other bold prints or try blocks of vibrant colour that will complement your jeans.

Lastly, complement your vibrant clothes with a more suitable splash of colour on your nails. Here, spring 2012 is about classic reds, corals, soft pastels and light yellows. So for a great spring wardrobe on a budget, build various looks around one really great pair of jeans.

Add splashes of colour to complement your jeans

Posted by admin on Apr 16, 2012 in Style and Design | 0 comments

Colour is the order of the day when it comes to spring fashion trends for men, but don’t go breaking out those Hawaiian shirts just yet – 2012 calls for a bit more subtlety than that. Thanks to specialist sites like Jacamo and Big Fish, however, there is no reason that men with larger frames should feel left out of the latest trends.

Of course, the staple of any man’s wardrobe should be a few good pairs of jeans, around which up-to-date looks can be built. This pair from Ben Sherman follow the basic rules of a good pair of jeans, where less is more. Fewer pockets, fewer embellishments, fewer rivets – just a simple, classic look. It is also important to ensure that they fit well – you don’t want any sagging in the seat or the crotch – and go for a medium blue for maximum versatility.

Once you have that essential pair of jeans you can dress for spring 2012 with a classic polo shirt, while Esquire recommends Rockport and Barbour boots, maybe with some bright laces for that subtle splash of colour. For a smarter look that is comfortable and cool, team those jeans with a suede desert boot or a pair of chukkas.

Be a scooter commuter and cut your travel costs

Posted by admin on Apr 12, 2012 in Budgeting Guides | 0 comments

With transport costs such as train fares and fuel increasing and seemingly set to do so for some time to come, UK workers are finding their already strained finances stretched to the limit. So what options are there for reducing the travel burden?

For those working in towns and cities who rely on local transport links for their daily commute, a scooter could be a very economical option. Buses, trams and trains are expensive, slow and usually crowded, and while there are costs associated with ownership – getting specialist insurance cover from the likes of MCE or Swinton is essential – you use substantially less fuel with a 49cc engine than you do in a car. Official data shows that as many as 12.5 million UK adults travel between two and ten kilometres to get to work, meaning there are great many people who could make savings by becoming a scooter commuter.

Don’t just take my word for it – Kelley Blue Book, the US motor trade bible, promotes the use of scooters as an economical option. And don’t worry about having to spend time and money on tests, as you can obtain a provisional scooter licence after a single day of basic training. So if you save money, time and get more freedom over your commute, can you afford not to give a scooter some thought?

Spring into knitwear

Posted by admin on Mar 28, 2012 in Style and Design | 0 comments

So it’s warmer, warm even, but this is still the United Kingdom. You may be shunning the chunky knits and hundred denier tights. You may have already carried out the obligatory wardrobe changeover, stuffing last season’s faux fur coat away to make room for all those floaty dresses and florals. But I have news.

You need knitwear in your life this spring.

Whether you feel more comfortable with a cute cover-up flattering those curves, or just plan to stay out after sunset, a bright spring knit is the way to go.

But you still want to look like you’ve left winter behind. You may think this will be tricky, but fear not! Brightly coloured ranges are everywhere at the moment. Those at JD Williams will see you making the most of your curves in a variety of styles, and there’s no need to spend a fortune.

The nautical stripe trend translates easily to jumpers for when the weather is cooler, while the cable knit has been re-vamped into cute shrugs and short sleeve cardis for spring.

You can get key styles for less than you would expect. You’ll be able to pick up a bright boyfriend cardi or an elegant waterfall cardi for under £30.

Spring knitwear is all about comfortable fabrics to create a fresh, relaxed look.

Investing on clothing and saving money – a brief guide

Posted by admin on Mar 20, 2012 in Budgeting Guides | 0 comments

There are many ways for people to save money on clothing in the current climate. While a lot of individuals find themselves with tighter purse strings now more than ever, there is much more you can do to get a great deal on your clothing aside from simply going to a great-priced store like High and Mighty. This is because you need to see certain items as an investment and not a simple purchase!

With socks and underwear, it’s good to get solid black, navy and white socks because no one will notice them there. That said, good-looking underwear can also be bought without breaking the bank – look out for sales in big shops for discounts. So long as you target standard patterns or solid colours, you will see constant returns from your investment.

When it comes to ties, you ought to take into account both texture and quality materials, as these feel and look a lot nicer. You’re more than welcome to show a more playful side with these, yet don’t go all-out crazy – they still have to match your suits and shirts, after all.

Finally, a great investment piece of clothing is a solid black leather belt, particularly if the buckle is coloured silver. A quality one of these will not cost you a lot, plus you’ll be able to wear it for years before it falls apart. Consider getting a second brown one with a gold clasp to complement other outfits.