Accessories You Need For Winter

Now that Christmas is most definitely on its way, it’s time to think about stocking up those winter wardrobes. It’s the perfect time of year to dig out your favourite cozy cardigans and snazzy tights, perfect for mixing and matching with jeans for daytime, or warming up an LBD in the evening. We’ve already seen the trends this season for 1970s throwbacks in swishy dresses and androgynous silhouettes with long duster coats, capes, and trenches. These are the essentials you’ll need for the winter.

  

Hats

The perfect way to accessorize the fur coats and trenches in this season is with a stylish woollen hat. A knitted beanie adds a campus cutie vibe to a duffel coat and jeans, especially fairisle designs; while embellished riders’ caps add an extra sparkle to a black jumpsuit on a night out. Wide-brimmed wool or felt hats will keep you nice and toasty while remaining easy to pair with any style of coat, especially in keeping with this season’s key colours of mauve, camel, and black. For a stand-out effect, choose a colour to contrast with your hair - a camel hat for dark hair, and vice versa.

Scarves

After the skinny scarf enjoyed a long-awaited revival last season, it’s time to embrace the humble scarf in its original, snuggly form. Wide, wool tartan scarves perfectly complement wool coats or fur, as well as adding a soft grunge edge to the leather trousers and skirts on trend this winter. For a snuggly casual outfit, pair a thick knitted scarf with a raincoat. Size is the most important matter when adding a scarf to an outfit - for an on trend, androgynous silhouette, the ‘boyfriend,’ or oversized scarf is the way to go. You’ll feel as cozy out on your coffee run as you do snuggled in a blanket at home.

Footwear

Sadly it’s time to tidy away all the strappy heels from the summer. Fortunately, this season’s selection of boots have something for everyone, from chunky biker flats to 1960s go-go wedges. Chelsea boots, as with last year, are making a triumphant return, offering a perfect compromise between punky buckles, height, and comfort. Look out for different textures, which can add an extra element to an otherwise monochrome outfit, with snake, crocodile, and leopard skin fabrics dominating the market. For fashionistas looking to add some flair to an office dress code, both patent, matte, and suede loafers are ideal as either flats or heels. Sporty gals will love the return of 90s leisurewear, from skates to retro-inspired trainers (perfect for winter morning jogs).

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Lanolips 101 Fruities Multipurpose Balm

Now the clocks have gone back, for me Winter is pretty much looming and that means ensuring my skin is properly looked after, especially my lips. So in comes Lanolips 101 Fruities into my handbag and they haven't left since!

Not just designed to be used on the lips, these little beauties can be used on extremely dry skin patches, cuticles, small cuts and bites!  How? Well they contain what is called a healing, hydrating, wondrous multipurpose 101 Ointment, which has won many awards!  Add to that, each balm has added Vitamin E and a glorious fruit extract specifically chosen for its own unique properties, benefits and of course pleasure.

I have three different varieties with Strawberry, Peach and Apple and given the size of the tube (10g), so they are handy to carry around.

Strawberry Usually strawberries are associated with love & romance, but this powerful little fruit’s main ingredient is alpha-hydroxy acids which helps us slough off dead cells so that new, healthy skin is revealed. Enriched with 100% natural Strawberry and Vitamin E.

Apple

This is my favourite scent of the three and it smells just delightful. Apple is an acidic, rich and full of vitamins.  It is also full of antioxidents which act as a natural protector from harmful pollutants.  Also enriched with 100% Apple and Vitamin E.

Peach

The peach kernal oil is really light and instantly absorbs as soon as it comes into contact with the skin.  Using a combination of vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids, it leaves the skin feeling incredibly moisturised, fresh smelling and hydrated.  Again it is also enriched with 100% natural peach and Vitamin E.

The texture of these balms is quite thick, but once it comes into contact with the skin, it becomes really pliable and absorbs with gentle massaging.  It isn't sticky or tacky to the touch and when I use it on my lips, it makes a great base coat before adding lipstick, perfect for ensuring nothing sticks to any dry skin that might be looming.

Each of these balms are also enriched with Medical Grade Lanonlin which often confuses people. Lanolin is a natural product of the wool industry. It is a substance extracted from the fleece once it has been removed from an unharmed sheep once the sheep have been shorn. It’s vegetarian-friendly. Lanolin is no more cruel to animals than drinking milk, using beeswax, eating honey or even wearing wool. The oils found within lanolin are also extremely similar to those oils we secrete from within our own skin. Within Lanolips the Lanolin is hypoallergenic and can hold over 200% of its own weight of water, acting as a moisture reservoir to help maintain the hydration of the skin.

These balms retail at £7.99 each and can be found via a stockist right here.

How to save money when attending multiple weddings

Attending weddings is a delightful pleasure for most people – the ability to witness two people that you love and care about exchange vows and pledge to spend their lives together is truly an honour! An, erm, awfully expensive honour at times! Now, it is obvious that the highest cost is usually heaped upon the bride and groom (or their families!), being a wedding guest can be unexpectedly pricey.

While attending one wedding can be costly, attending two, three or more (even 11 in one year, according to this article in the Telegraph!) can be seriously crippling for the pocket book. According to a 2013 Guardian article, the average cost of attending a wedding is 377 pounds per person!

If you (and potentially your spouse) are attempting to keep your credit score high (unsure about the state of your credit score? Naughty! Do an Experian credit check here), your savings account full and your budgets on track each month, attending three weddings in one year can set a couple back 2000 pounds. Multiply that cost by two or three years in a row, and you will have put a major dent in your savings planning and potentially delayed a home purchase – or even your own wedding. Also remember to check out sites such as DealsDaddy and look out for discount codes online.

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While the costs can double, triple or quadruple depending on how many nuptial celebrations you are attending in one year, there are a few ways that you can save money when faced with multiple wedding invitations. Here is a brief list that you might find helpful when planning your social calendar over the next year.

• Buy a great, versatile dress – A beautiful, high quality dress that works across multiple seasons will serve you very well. Choose a neutral (yet flattering) colour and a fabric that you can wear in both the summer and the winter.
• Accessorize like mad! If you are invited to four weddings in one year, you should know that these photos will be shared across social media – you don’t want to be caught in the same dress detailed above multiple times! Buy a few lovely scarfs, a blazer, some cute shoes, a pretty cardigan and other versatile pieces that you can add to your dress and style it look wonderful and unique for every wedding you attend.
• Buy gifts in bulk – Attending three weddings and want to give the young couple some art or a household appliance? Look for items that you can buy in bulk and get a deal on – this works best if the couples do not know eachother!
• Book your travel in advance – Make sure that you book your flights and train travel in advance – nothing can add up more quickly that last minute travel. Booking your travel at the last minute can often amount to throwing money in the loo.

Attending weddings is a joy – a costly joy, but a joy nonetheless. Do you have any suggestions on how to save money when attending multiple weddings in one year? Leave your comments and tips in the comment section below.

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The Best Winter Breaks In Europe

With the freezing winds back again, for most of us holiday planning is at the bottom of the priority list. Most Brits are used to enjoying a trip to a European city in the heights of summer, when ice cream can be taste-tested and there are plenty of beaches to enjoy. That said, if any of your loved ones are a stickler for a good Christmas gift, a little trip could be the perfect answer. Nowhere does Christmas better than the Baltics, from gorgeous craft markets to incredible fruit wines. A few luxury winter cruise ideas, courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Lines, might spark that wanderlust.

Sweden

For plenty of hearty food and excellent hospitality, look no further than Sweden. Not only can you take a winter safari to see the wild elk and moose in the snow, but you can experience the Northern Lights in December. Alternatively, experience indigenous Samí culture, including learning to cook traditional recipes like dried Reindeer soup. Southwards, in Malmo and Stockholm, you can get some souvenirs or gifts from the bustling markets.

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Finland

Winter in Finland is truly a snowy wonderland, with something for any age. Visit Santa and his Deer at Lapland, where you can stay in an Igloo between skiing, dog-sledding, and ice-fishing. For a more cosmopolitan break, Helsinki is awash with great things to do, from enjoying a steam in a traditional Sauna at the grand Kotiharjun, or watch the parades marching through the city for St. Lucia’s Day. There’s plenty for the eyes and the ears, as during December many city church choirs perform recitals for passers by.

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Germany

Britain’s Christmas spirit has absolutely nothing on Germany. Hamburg’s Christmas market is incredibly diverse, from a toy street to a nightclub area; Stuttgart’s 320 year old annual market offers traditional Black Forest treats and crafts over a background of stunning lantern decorations and free choral concerts. Be sure to make the most of the delicious locally-made stollen and brandy on your way through the crowds.

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Lithuania

One of the best ports of call in Lithuania is Vilinius, which in spite of the blankets of snow refuses to slow down for a minute. Christmas markets are a rarity here compared with other cities, but the grand Christmas tree in the centre of town makes a magnificent centrepiece to the eclectic architecture of the city. A walk to Subaciaus Street provides gorgeous panoramic views of the city, while Vingus Park has some great hills for sledding in the snow.

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Where would your ideal winter break be?