Jewellery & Fashion

Author: Drew

  • Mixing it up when it comes to jewellery

    The jewellery industry is huge – there are so many styles and types of jewellery, and many people love buying it. Whether it’s mass produced or handmade, costs millions or less than a sandwich, almost everyone on the planet owns jewellery of some sort.

    For some, jewellery holds sentimental value – a piece passed down through the generations or lovingly made by a friend. For others, jewellery is just a way of finishing off an outfit. Some like their jewellery to be subtle, while other people want to make a statement. Maybe it’s time for a shake-up?

    If you tend to wear jewellery hidden under an outfit, why not try showing it off? Or you could perhaps try a different style altogether – go for a bright, bold conversation starter. Sometimes it’s hard to break out of our comfort zone, but change is good. Alternatively, if you normally wear something chunky and ‘in your face’, you could go for something more delicate, and choose clothes and other accessories that really highlight it.

    Mixing it up a little could help you open your eyes to a whole new world of jewellery that you didn’t know existed – so give it a try and have some fun!

  • Stopping the school uniform from fading

    Many parents have recently had to fork out a small fortune on their child’s or children’s school uniform. On average it costs a parent in excess of £150 for shoes, trainers, PE kit and uniform and if you have three or four kids, this can very quickly add up.

    Many schools have a set colour as their uniform and this can often be red, green. Blue or yellow. With all clothing, there is a potential for it to fade quickly and after only a few washes, start to look tatty. When washing new school uniform, especially bright coloured items, it is important to use a washing powder or liquid that is designed to protect colours. You should also check the label for washing instructions and always try and wash at the lowest temperature possible to remove the stains.

    Most school uniform can be tumble dried, but again this intense and prolonged heat exposure can quickly fade colours away meaning you will have to fork out for new uniform a lot quicker than you hoped. Some people say that if you spend a little more on the uniform it will wash better, but research has shown this is not always the case.

  • Great bargains to be had at charity shops

    If you’re looking for a new wardrobe but can’t afford to spend hundreds on a hand full of outfits then why not try and save a bundle by going to a charity shop. Unfortunately, there is still a bit of a stigma around charity shop shopping but it really can be a great place to pick up a bargain.

    With most charity shops only selling items that are in good condition, you will rarely pick up something that looks stained or ripped.

    Go to your local town and browse the charity shops, you will often find some have better quality clothing than others, although you may have to pay a bit more, it is a fraction of the original selling price.

    Even when shopping for dresses or suits for special occasions such as Prom or Weddings, many charity shops have a wide range of clothing in a number of sizes that may be just perfect.

    Don’t be ashamed to shop in charity shops as if you get the outfit you want for less than ten pounds, then you should be proud and to know that the money has gone towards a good cause is even better.

     

  • Choosing your wedding jewellery

    Weddings can be extremely expensive, with the average in the UK costing a massive twenty-four thousand pounds. When sorting out your budget for the wedding you may forget to factor in such things as wedding jewellery and accessories. Although this may only seem like a small item, these costs can quickly add up and may be an unexpected expense.

    As a bride, you may want to have a tiara and necklace, earrings and bracelet. Depending on what sort you have, this can easily add hundreds onto your overall costs which is often an amount many people cannot afford to spend without having planned for.

    When deciding on wedding jewellery, don’t think that you have to spend a fortune. People will be looking at you and if you already have a lavish dress then the jewellery is not really going to be noticed that much. Popping along to a normal high street retailer and spending £20- £30 on jewellery is plenty and if you really want to slash the costs then it is possible to get earrings, necklace and bracelet for under £10. Often with jewellery, no one can tell the cots without examining it anyway. You are better to pick something you like than something that looks expensive.

     

  • Creating customised jewellery

    If you are trying to think of a present for a friend or family member then you may consider creating them some customised jewellery.  Unlike off the shelf jewellery, customisation can allow you to create pieces that you know the person will like and that has a special meaning to them.

    Often people will create customised jewellery for special occasions such as birthday’s christenings or even weddings.  Giving a loved one or piece of customised jewellery may make you more special to them, as often you may have personalised it with the images or names or inscriptions that you know are important to them.

    Customised to jewellery does not have to cost the earth, there are many places online that offer this type of jewellery at a reasonable price.  Always be sure to read reviews of the jewellery before making a purchase online to check the quality that other people have stated and delivery times etc.

    If you are ordering some jewellery as a present then make sure that you allow yourself enough time to receive the product and check the quality and return it if necessary before giving it to the recipient.  If you are struggling for ideas for your jewellery then why not search online to see what other people have created.