Scottish Textiles

Scottish Tartans & History

July 1, 2010

Summer hair colours and styles

As with fashion changes throughout the seasons, hair colour and styles change too and as with fashion what’s on the catwalks normally comes in to mainstream styles and because it is summer many styles we have seen in the past are in. Perennial summer favourite blonde was big on the catwalks with a relaxed surfer chic look about it, with loosely curled creamy blonde locks and laid back style. The surfer chic is easy to create with some texture gel and ghd hair straighteners, like the style it doesn’t take a lot of effort which is great during the hot summer months.

If you not a blond, fake or natural, fear not other hair colours are in, like the Little Black Dress, brunette hair will never go out of style, its considered sexier than blonde hair, more sophisticated than red locks and less goth than black which means it’s the perfect all round colour. It’s also easier to maintain than blonde and looks super shiny especially when its poker straight, you can use shine serum and ghd straighteners for glass effect finish. Any style looks great with dark hair, like long Hollywood waves to short sexy crops or do like Cheryl Cole and ditch hair extensions and go for a sleeker shoulder length look.

June 30, 2010

Designer Handbags

A designer handbag is the must-have accessory for most wardrobes, as the right one can give your outfit a touch of elegance. Choosing a handbag can be a difficult task as there are so many designer labels now producing handbags and other accessories.

Choosing an item for its quality is essential. Every season sees another designer handbag become the latest craze, but unless you have a lot of money to spend on handbags they are not always necessarily a good buy. You have to choose one that will suit your look and lifestyle.

Handbags in garish colours are best avoided, as this will limit the number of outfits that it can be used with. If the bag works just as well with a casual outfit as it does with your smart work clothes then it will be a good investment.

It is also a good idea to take into consideration the size of the bag. If you are the sort of person who needs to carry around a lot of paraphernalia each day then a small handbag is no good, even if it is the one all the WAGs are seen with.

Popular brands of designer handbag include Chanel and Chloe, with the Chloe label producing the first real ‘must-have’ handbag, the Paddington, in 2002. Chanel handbags are easily identified by the distinctive logo, although designer handbags are a lucrative field for counterfeiters. If you are unsure if the bag you are looking at is genuine, check the quality of the stitching and workmanship as well as the quality of the fabric used.

Sexy holiday hair

When you’re on holiday it can be quite hard to keep your hair looking at its best especially if you’re in a hot and humid country but as long as you remember to take your ghd hair straighteners, and the correct adaptor plug then you should be okay to create some sexy holiday hair!

Its best to style your hair after washing and blow drying, especially after a day on the beach or by the pool, you need to make sure all dirt and chemicals are washed out and your hair is conditioned. Before you blow dry your hair, then apply ghd thermal protector to protect it from the heat of your hair dryer and irons. Whilst drying use a round barrelled brush and brush hair out from the root to add extra volume.

The simply take sections of your hair starting at the back and twist them together and then run your ghd straighteners over the twisted hair and clip back up, continue until you have done all sections, then leave to cool. Once its cooled shake out the twists and apply some ghd sea spritz and shake your hair to add a matt texture.

June 28, 2010

Summer wardrobe essentials

If you want to make the most of the summer its worth making sure you have your wardrobe essentials as we have had a full week of sunshine, for many men the heat can be a bit of a problem with many worrying about what to wear. So it’s time to put your stifling jeans away for now and look at some other options for men’s clothing.

Now with them away its time to look at shorts and no cut off jeans or football shorts, decent tidy shorts so you have something to wear for beach or bar, so it’s worth investing in some decent pairs. Colour is a personal preference but remember you want to be able to wear them with different tops so go for cargo or combat shorts and make sure they sit no higher than the lower thigh.

Footwear can be a bit of a conundrum for some men during the summer, if you have relatively tidy feet or will have, then go for flip flops, they’re great for long, leisurely afternoons in the park, or lounging around in the garden. If you don’t fancy flip flops then lighter trainers or boat shoes can also be good, but don’t go out with your ankle sock on show!

If you don’t fancy shorts then trousers can be a cooler alternative to denim, you can go for linen however they can be a bit of a chore when you have to constantly iron them, a better option are light chinos, if you invest in a good pair they can last you well into winter.

Vests, well not every man can pull off a vest, but if you can there are still some guidelines to follow, they are great for long, hot summer days on the beach or in the garden but not to go out to pubs, clubs or bars in, you will most probably get turned away. Swap to a smart t-shirts or short sleeved shirt for an evening it will look much smarter.

June 25, 2010

Little white dress

It’s normally all about the little black dress (LBD) a wardrobe must have, however in women’s clothing this season the LBD is taking a back seat to the little white dress (LWD). You don’t need to play it safe in black instead take a risk with white this season.

The LWD is this seasons must have, crisp and cool, it’s the best way to keep cool this summer, it’s also a great place to start off you outfit, think of it as a blank canvass and showcase some fabulous pieces of jewellery or statement shoes. You can wear during the day with pretty sandals then glam it up for an evening ala Cheryl Cole.

Its not just popular little dresses either this seasons maxi dress trend is also cool in white, you can bring out your Grecian goddess style, a perfect look for a holiday.

Little white dresses

Little white dresses

June 22, 2010

TV & Film t-shirts

TV & film has a great influence over what people wear, it can be a style seen in a movie or TV programme or it can just be showing how much you like your favourite film or TV show by wearing a printed t-shirt. This year printed t-shirts are really popular so you can get on the bandwagon by using t shirt printing to create your own design, take inspiration from your favourite film and use a still from a scene, or use a favourite catchphrase from your beloved TV show. You can use iconic moments from TV and film as a design basis, some are more recognisable than others but to you it can be personal.

T-shirt printing is a relatively easy process you come up with the design, choose what it can be printed on and use a printing company such as Splash Logo to make up your design. Splash logo are an online printing company that stocks a huge choice of clothing such as t-shirts, vests, polo shirts, hoodies and hats as well as a wide range of accessories. They use cutting edge printing methods to get the right finish for your design. So it’s easy to bring your favourite TV programme of film to life.

June 20, 2010

Yves St Laurent

Yves St Laurent is one of the most famous French fashion houses, launched in 1962 by Yves St Laurent and Pierre Bergé. It is now more often referred to by just the initials YSL.

Yves St Laurent has broken new ground in the fashion world on several occasions. It was one of the first luxury designer brands to branch out into ready-to-wear and was one of the first fashion houses to hire black models to take part in the catwalk shows. Amongst the designer’s muses is Catherine Deneuve, the French actress.

The label was bought by Gucci fashion house in 1999, and Tom Ford was brought in to design the ready-to-wear collections, while Yves St Laurent himself concentrated on the haute couture. The couture business closed in 2002 after Yves St Laurent had suffered several years of ill health, and several collections had received negative reviews.

The YSL brand still produces a ready-to-wear collection and also has a very successful cosmetics range. The ready-to-wear designs are produced by Stefano Pilati, and are influenced by French chic.

Yves St Laurent was one of the first lines to produce clothing for women that had been influenced by men’s clothes. The first tuxedo for women was produced by YSL. The brand also popularised the trouser suite and blazer for women. Customers are able to purchase YSL online through the company’s own website. Fans will find that there are items that they can buy online which are not available in the shops.

 

YSL logo

YSL logo

Picture courtesy of wvfonseca

 

June 18, 2010

Summer wedding

For women there are a few handy rules and tips to bear in mind when looking for an a perfect designer women’s wear outfit for a wedding, by following these you should be able to find the perfect outfit for the day.

Style

The style of dress you choose can depend on a couple of factors, body shape and body size, you need to remember not everything looks the same on everyone so make sure you choose a dress that flatters your figure not one that accentuates you bad bits.

It’s also helpful to keep in mind for a wedding that you should not go for something OTT you don’t want to be competing with a bride on her big day for attention, you need to go for a look that is subtle and smart, because you will be photographed and no one will want to remember you in a bright garish dress.

A n appropriate dress length also is required, luckily maxi dresses are in this season so if you’re not comfortable bearing your legs you don’t have to, but if you are happy to show some leg just keep in mind not to show too much so avoid miniskirts and mini dresses.

Accessories

Weddings can be a great occasion to wear a hat but this is one area you don’t want to go overboard, remember it’s not Ladies Day at Ascot so some large creation will probably not be appreciated. If hats don’t suit you, you can always opt for a simple fascinator,cute headband or a pretty slide.

If you have some lovely pieces of jewellery then a wedding can be a great place to show them off, especially if you don’t always get much of an opportunity normally, but as with everything else we have mentioned here this is another area not to go over the top in. A simple necklace, diamond earrings and a thin bracelet is all you need to finish off an outfit.

June 15, 2010

Look stylish in summer shorts

Now the weather is heating up its time to look at moving from wearing jeans and into stylish men’s shorts, without looking too casual. There are many different styles of shorts available for every occasion, from casual board shorts for your holidays or when you are the beach to funky denim shorts which can look great for a night out it all depends on how you wear them.

Board shorts

Board shorts

Looking at casual styles for your holidays board shorts are perfect, you can buy them in a range of colours from plain to outlandish patterns depending on your tastes, however this look should only really be for the beach, if you want to wear shorts for an everyday look then you’re better off opting for some smarter cargo style shorts, plain cropped shorts, Oxford shorts or deck shorts. These look much more stylish and can be dressed up or down with a shirt or polo shirt, you can wear them with light trainers, plimsolls or boat shoes.

Shorts

Shorts

For going out in an evening you can opt for denim shorts, there’s a great choice with different cuts and styles from fitted tailored styles, to baggy surfer styles and drop crotch shorts. These look good with a smarter t-shirt or shirts and accessorised for a night out.

Denim shorts

Denim shorts

June 14, 2010

Designer Sunglasses

Many people whose budget cannot stretch to a full designer outfit are choosing to accessorise with designer label items such as handbags and sunglasses. Many of the top fashion houses have their own range of designer sunglasses including Chanel, Chloe and Yves St Laurent.

Sunglasses have a minimum quality standard to ensure they filter out most of the sun’s harmful rays and so protect the eyes. Buying a designer label is a guarantee that your eyes will be protected and that you will be purchasing a well-made pair of sunglasses, giving the consumer peace of mind.

Sunglasses should be an essential part of anybody’s accessories, particularly during the summer months. Those who need prescription sunglasses will find that they are still able to have designer frames, and that their optician can create the lenses required to ensure that your eyesight is corrected. If a prescription pair is required it is advisable to have an eye test to ensure that your prescription is up to date, otherwise you could be paying out for glasses that are no longer suitable for you.

As designer goods are frequently targeted by those selling fake items it is a good idea only to purchase from an authorised retailer. This way you can be sure that the item you are buying is of good quality and that your eyes are properly protected. There are several online retailers who sell good quality designer label sunglasses at reduced prices, so purchasing during a sale is always a cost-effective option.

Designer sunglasses

Designer sunglasses

Picture courtesy of Chris_J

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