For parents the summer holidays can seem to last for ages, trying to keep your children happy and busy during the break can be hard no matter what age they are, however for some kids these days the traditional creative activities can seem a bit ‘lame’ so what can you do to keep them entertained for a day at least?
One solution is to use modern technology to help them be creative, if you have a home computer and the internet, you can use t shirt printing to get your kids designing their own t shirt designs, using anything they want, well within reason! Family photos, pictures of pets, cartoons or art work, make great designs that they can do themselves on the computer.
You can then use an online printing company such as www.splashlogo.co.uk to print their final design onto a t-shirt and have it delivered right to your door, it’s a great way to get your kids creative by using odern technology and if they want they can expand to making t-shirts for family and friends this summer, as they make wonderful gifts.
If you are buying clothes, it may be that you are on a tight budget and need to look for affordable fashion. Looking online can often unearth a good deal although the downside is not being able to try the item on before buying, so decisions need to be carefully made in order to avoid having to return your purchase.
Buying designer fashion online is often the best way to find an expensive item at a much cheaper price. Internet auction sites often have designer items, although care should be taken to ensure that you are buying the genuine article and not a fake. There are also some online retailers that specialise in designer clothing and these are often reduced in price. Using an auction site may also prove useful if you are prepared to buy second-hand items. This way you could find something that may have only been worn once or twice, but that is available at a bargain price.
The Internet is a good place to look for vintage fashion items. Again, auction sites are a good place to start, but there are also several specialist vintage online retailers. These sites offer items from the 1900s onwards and cover not just clothing, but also hats, bags and other accessories.
A number of high street retailers offering good clothes at low prices also have Internet sites, so you can do your shopping from home. This is good news for those who have very little time to shop and as an added bonus they often offer lower prices than can be found in the shops.
Everybody needs a casual wardrobe for summer and depending on your taste this can range from the latest dresses to simple shorts and women’s t-shirts. It is important to work out what you need from your wardrobe before deciding which clothing items to purchase.
If you are heading off on holiday then the obvious items are shorts, t-shirts, dresses and summer trousers, all made from lightweight fabrics such as cotton, which will keep you cool all day. Fashionable dresses for summer are a part of most clothing ranges and come in a range of styles, from traditional tea dresses, which are short-sleeved and knee-length, to the latest maxi dresses.
The maxi dress is a good cover-up for summer, protecting your legs from too much sun, but they do not suit everyone. Those who are petit should purchase one from a specific petit range to be sure they do not end up trailing several inches of fabric along the floor. Maxi dresses tend to be sleeveless, so if you are wearing one during the evening, a small cover up cardigan is ideal to keep any chill away.
Linen clothes are an essential part of most people’s wardrobes for summer. This fabric is light and allows the skin to breathe. Linen trousers and dresses are ideal for use in hot climates.
T-shirts are a summer staple when it comes to clothes shopping. They are available very cheaply and come in a wide range of sizes and colours. They can be teamed with trousers, skirts and shorts, so you can have a different look each day without having to spend too much money.
There’s something to be said about the laid back California style, it must be something to do with the long hot summers and comfy, easy style of clothing that goes with it, that makes it a popular trend and this year is no different. Many designers and clothes shops are offering cute hotpants, baggy vest tops and crop tops which have been filtering into fashion this season and they go great with the warmer weather we are experiencing this summer.
The sportswear style of clothing was tipped at the beginning of the year to be a big trend this summer and this relaxed California style fits ideally into this with sports tops, jogging bottoms and hoodies with sport motif designs are just what you need to carry on this trend.
You can mix and match the different styles such as body con that goes hand in hand with the sportswear trend, which are perfect for holiday or just lounging around in at home.
California style clothing
Anyone who has children will know that taking them shopping for clothes can often be a torturous experience. Youngsters bore easily and always want to be doing something else, but there are a few tips to remember which can make a shopping trip much less stressful.
The first may seem obvious, but ‘know your child’ is a good place to start. Ensure you know your child’s size and taste before you set off. This will save you trawling through racks of clothes that will not meet with their approval. Children grow fast and particularly when they are very young, will have grown at least one size each time you shop.
Shopping for girls can be quite difficult as most shops have a wide range of clothes, so there is a lot to choose from. However, girls usually have a clear idea of what they like and what they don’t, so that should help. Be wary of buying everything in one particular colour, as a child’s tastes will change frequently. If her favourite colour is green today, it might be pink tomorrow and you need to be prepared for every eventuality.
When it comes to boy’s clothing, there is usually much less to choose from and if buying for casual wear, jeans and t-shirts are usually best. However, boys do have their own tastes too and these need to be taken into consideration. Boys also, generally speaking, have much less patience with the shopping experience, so it needs to be done quickly.
There are many elements that can damage your hair over a course of a year, however during the summer your hair tends to suffer the most, whether your stay at home or go abroad somewhere hot for a holiday. Weather, temperature, constant styling with curling tongs and ghd straightening irons, dry air condition plus a lot more can have a detrimental effect, however there are a few things you can do to prevent too much damage.
When your away your hair is normally the last thing you think of with so much else going on but just like your skin your hair does need protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, not only will leave your hair dry and damaged but also burn your scalp if you are not careful. It’s always advisable to wear a hat to protect your head however if you really don’t want to do that you can use a hair sunscreen spray to protect your hair and make sure you can apply sunscreen on as much of your face as possible.
A good tip before you go the pool is to drench your hair in fresh water to prevent damage from chlorine or salt and after you come out don’t forget to reapply your hair protector spray and sunscreen. After a day in the pool and sunbathing you need to wash and condition your hair to keep it clean and add back moisture it may have lost during the day, if you have bleached hair it’s advisable to use a deep conditioning treatment on your hair after your holiday to give it a boost.
When it comes to drying your hair you need to take great care with it because when hair is wet it is more brittle and more prone to damage, so you should not vigorously dry your hair with a towel as this roughens up your hair cuticle giving a dull tangled appearance. Instead dab it dry and comb through with a wide-toothed comb and before you blow dry your hair apply ghd protector spray, which as the name suggests protects your hair from the heat.
Now we are into the thick of it lets have a look at a big trend that is heading your way this summer, the American trend is very popular at the moment but it has spawned a new summer style, the preppy look. It is quite a classic look that pops up every now and then but has not really taken off however this year riding on the back of American it is really coming into its own in men’s clothing.
Taking its props from the East coast American style of dress that was popular amongst men in the 1980′s, it adds in a little ‘Ivy league’ style of dressing, think wealthier and more educated guys who attended Harvard and Yale with their single breasted suits. This style has recently seen a revival thanks mainly to the fashion conscious TV show Gossip Girl which follows the lives of the rich spoilt East Coast kids who happened to fall into this retro look.
Fear not though, you don’t have to have mummy and daddies bank balance to play with to get this look or even be that posh, if you add key clothing from this trend you should be able to pull off this look effectively. Look for smart tailored trousers such as chino’s, classic shorts, worn with tailored blazers, baseball jackets and stylish boat shoes.
One of Britain’s most successful designers and fashion businessmen, Paul Smith, is launching his first collection of children’s wear called Paul Smith Junior. The range is designed for newborns up to 14 years old, will retail between £34 and £250 and will be stocked at Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Brown Thomas as well as other major stockists.
His children’s range will follow similarly to his adult clothing ranges with his signature style of quirky classics-with-a-twist approach, featuring child-like charm. Borrowing from the main men’s and women’s collections and ‘downsized’ he also uses a bright, punchy colour palette.
The ranges focus on the traditional with the girls range including rose-print, silk dresses and cute, cardigans as well as soft, jersey, long-sleeve T-shirts to layer under wool smocks. He also focuses on tiered peasant-skirts, corduroy jackets, wool pea-coats and kilts and tweed shorts, all with a nod to the past.
For the boys he opted for practical clothing style that is ideal for play, the collection includes multi-stripe and floral shirts, graphic-printed padded jackets, quirky Tees, khaki parkas, pinstripe jackets and luxurious cashmere knits.
There’s nothing better than coming back off holiday with a lovely natural tan, it makes you feel and look healthy, as long as you are not burnt, so you would naturally want to make sure you show it off as much as possible. Certain colours of men’s and women’s clothing can accentuate or draw attention to your tan so you are best sticking to these if you want to get the most from your complexion. One colour that people tend to opt for when they are tanned is white, because it’s so strikingly simple it can be a great dramatic back drop that not only highlights your tan but also it can be transformed with a few simple accessories. A crisp white shirt or t-shirt for men and a simple stylish white dress for women can make for a very smart and sophisticated outfit, also white should not be forgotten for evening wear either.
Another great colour to choose if you want to be a bit brighter is turquoise, it’s this year’s colour according to Pantone and it’s all over the high street, also many people distinguish turquoise to be a very summery colour which reminds them of their holidays, so it’s a great colour to choose to give you a lift. Earthy tones also bring out your tan, colours that are often favoured in the far east that are rich and luminous like rich browns and greens accessorised with bronze and gold. This works for both men and women, for guys opt for natural or khaki colour men’s shorts and a lighter t-shirt for a relaxed summer look, you can accessorise with a simple natural straw hat and a simple leather style bracelet. Women can go all out and pick up on this year’s tribal trend with rich colours and lots of gold and bronze jewellery.
However there is one word of warning try to keep clear of red, especially if your tan is on the pinker side, you could end up looking like a lobster!
Women's clothing
Men's clothing
The internet is a good place to purchase vintage fashion items and there are many specialist shops that have their own websites, as well as several internet auction sites where bargains can be found regularly.
When purchasing online, be sure that you have a full description of the item that you are interested in. If not, contact the retailer to obtain more details. Vintage clothes are by definition old, and more than likely, used. This means that there could be signs of wear and tear on the item and maybe even a bit of damage. By obtaining as much information as possible you are avoiding the possibility that you may end up with an item that is unusable.
You should also obtain the accurate measurements of the items. Dress size calculations have varied a great deal over the years and you need to be aware of individual measurements of bust, waist and hips, not just of the item, but of yourself as well.
It is a good idea also to ensure that you check with retailers to find out if they offer insurance on deliveries. If you are paying for a classic vintage item you may be spending several hundred pounds, so insurance will be necessary if the items are lost or damaged in transit.
Internet auction sites such as eBay are favoured for the purchase of items such as vintage handbags, as when many people clear out their wardrobes they are now more inclined to sell, than to throw away.