Plants for Presents-Flowering, Fruit and Herb Plants for Perfect Presents

This is a very clever idea, particularly for the horticulturally minded or just the house proud as flowering, fruit or herb plants, beautifully presented do make great gift ideas at reasonable prices.

Plants for Presents offer exactly what the name suggests, and there’s a wide range to choose from, including lemon and calamondin trees (that’s a variety of orange to you or me), chilli plants, rosemary bushes trained and decorated as miniature Christmas trees, hyacinths in a festive planter and giant camellias, to name but a few.

My favourites, I have to say (oh yes and on my list again) are the Large Anthuriums, as I love the colour, the Lollipop Bay trees to replace the ones that get damaged by the frost here and the Poinsettias although I never seem to manage to keep mine going for very long, almost certainly because I don’t make the effort to look after them enough.

When you order your plant as a gift you can frequently choose the type of container, plus the card to go with it and select Next Day Delivery. The plants are wrapped and delivered in standing boxes. Choose your date of delivery but please don’t leave it too close to Christmas……………………I think I may have said that before. Expect to hear it again over the next couple of weeks.

Aspinal of London-Christmas Wrapped-Luxury Leather Accessories and Gift Ideas for Everyone

Having met Iain Burton of Aspinal of London a while ago and spoken to him many times since I can only marvel at the sheer speed at which this luxury leather accessories company has grown in just a few years, on a trajectory that most businesses fail to attain during a lifetime, let alone just a few years. Determination, clever intuition about what the customer really wants to buy (and then offering it to them) and a focus on quality and design have established this brand firmly at the top of the tree.

You could do all your Christmas shopping here for family, friends and colleagues, as from the gorgeous, chic handbags to leather bound journals and wallets, jewellery boxes, cashmere scarves, pens, gloves and sporting accessories there is without question something for everyone. You can be sure that the quality will be excellent and everything arrives beautifully presented. So Christmas sorted then.

One of the problems of writing GlamourSleuth is that my Christmas list (for me) is getting longer by the day. My favourites here are without a doubt the purple croc stamped leather travel wallet, the Midnight in Manhatten shimmering clutch (with blue and silver sequins) and a pair of black leather fur cuffed gloves - so smart for all of those travels, don’t you know?

Have a good browse round this cleverly designed website where the emphasis is on the products themselves rather than gadgets and gizmos and you can see everything with tempting pick-me-up-and-buy-me-now clarity. As I said before……..Christmas sorted.

There’s a special offer from Aspinal of London of 10% off when you quote SGX at check-out. The offer will expire on 19th December and the last date for Christmas orders is December 22nd.

Let it Snow……………Forget the cold-What to Wear in the White Stuff!

It seems for once I have my timing completely right as having written about layering it up yesterday, and I’m quite simply not going to ‘fess up’ to how many layers I have on today, I just have the extra bit to write; about what to wear in the white stuff.

What makes me an expert do I hear you ask? Well quite frankly, after numerous years taking small children, and large children, and grown-up children skiing both in Europe and across the pond, I should be, and as anyone who read my posts last January in the deep snow will know I do have the gear. It’s years old but it serves perfectly and still looks good - one of the real advantages of investment buying. The fact that I can now fit into my daughter’s ski pants is not a source of amusement to her and I’ve just sent them by express delivery up to Edinburgh where apparently there’s a good two feet of snow, judging by the snow angel pic I was sent yesterday.

Out at the stores this morning with slushy pavements I was taken aback (should I have been) to see girls walking around in high heels - it’s slippery enough in snow boots, surely, without risking a bruised knee or broken ankle (or worse) in non rubber soled heels, for goodness sake.

Anyway. There’s nothing else for it in this weather, and bearing in mind it’s still only November with all the white-out months to look forward to if we are going to become a snow bound nation you are going to need these, year after year.

Snow boots with thick rubber soles
A wind and water-proof jacket preferably with a zip-out fleece lining (although your down coat can do here)
Ski pants - preferably snug, fitted and totally wind and snow-proof.
A pair of ski gloves - for walking the dogs and snowball fights, of course.

Here are some of the best places to find them now, some of which offer discounted ski and snow clothing and accessories;

Simply Piste - Brands including Helly Hansen, Berghaus, O’Neill and Salomon and everything for men, women and children for keeping warm and dry in the snow.

Blacks - Not a huge range but always well chosen and mid priced, and including The North Face and Alpine, for all the family.

3Sums Surf + Skate + Snow' target=_blank>3Sums - Discounted snow wear - if they have your size you’ll be in for a bargain.

M and M Direct - Again discounted and some great bargains.

So you can choose whether you spend a small fortune or not, and the best thing about these websites is that whatever you buy it will be designed to last as discounted or not, the brands are the best………and you don’t have to wear black, of course.

What to Wear in the Freeze-Layer it Up

I’m somewhat of an expert in this, living in the wilds of Buckinghamshire with three (and sometimes four) dogs to walk and a barn of a house that in these temperatures doesn’t rise much above freezing inside or out - no really……..I started in the gym here yesterday in a sheepskin jacket. Believe me. I know all about the British cold.

First place to rush to shop is Uniqlo, for their excellent HeatTech. I notice yesterday that some of the sizes are selling out so go for broke now. Excellent are their leggings and roll neck long sleeve tops. Layer them or not they’re a great base layer whatever you choose to put on top and fine enough to wear underneath a dress if you’re going out (when you’ll probably want one of the t-shirts)

Then preferably something cashmere. Cashmere is so soft and warm and provides a lovely cosy layer on top of your base. This is, by the way, just another layer so it doesn’t have to be smart (so dig an older piece out of your wardrobe), if you’re really in the cold it may never be seen. If you’re going out somewhere that’s likely to be warmer then you can dress it up with a cashmere scarf and shearling sleeveless jacket but otherwise it really doesn’t matter that much.

Then comes the fleece (yes really) soft, warm and usually quite bulky and not for going out in fleece on top of cashmere is simply wonderful. Again Uniqlo have a good range as does Lands End and LL Bean (based in the US but they offer a courier service). It’s also well worth taking a look at amazon.co.uk for some very good deals provided your size is available.

Then finally either a shearling coat or jacket or down and here where down is concerned what you spend really counts. I have two coats that I bought years ago, one by Betty Barclay and the other by Max Mara and they have never let me down. Oh and don’t forget the sheepskin boots (these are my all time favourites by FitFlop and as warm as can be) and gloves of course.

Now I know that all of this is all very well if you’re out there and staying in the country, and for country clothing warmth you can do no better, but what happens when you start in the freeze and then travel to the probably a couple of degrees warmer town? Wanting to look chic but staying warm at the same time at the start and end of your journey can be quite difficult.

The answer is a HeatTech t-shirt under your dress or jacket, a fine cashmere scarf that you can really wrap round your neck (and looks great at the same time) and your smart down coat and gloves (always gloves). And run for the train - that’ll always warm you up, at least it does me, every time.

Accessories Direct-For when you need a Little Something Special.

 

It’s always a relief to discover somewhere where the prices aren’t bank breaking but the products are very attractive, and where you can find a pair of (and I really want these) pretty fold up beaded slippers to slip in your bag for the after-party walk home, a pretty statement necklace or a metallic evening clutch.

This online store has focused on a handpicked collection of special and different pieces by a group of designers you might be able to find elsewhere but. not all together in the same place and is excellent for last minute shimmer and sparkle.  There are some very attractive handbags - I’m particularly in love with Modalu’s black stamped leather ‘grab bag’, with it’s statement zips and plum lining and the wide crystal bracelet which I have to say is on my ever growing Christmas list.  This site is very well worth a browse.

  

Brands stocked by Accessories Direct include the well known, such as Fiorelli, Modalu, Bombay Duck and Mischa Barton and some you may not have heard of before (as I hadn’t) including Red Foot and Kate Benjamin.  Well designed, with very good pictures and exceptionally easy to navigate this is perfect for those days when you need a little something special (for you or to treat someone) but don’t want to spend the earth and just what’s needed for this time of year. 

As I said before………those slippers are mine.

Warm Hands Warm Heart?-Where to find the best Sheepskin Gloves

I am a glove loser par excellence and as the cold weather starts I’m to be found frantically delving into every coat pocket in the hope that my long lost pair of black sheepskin gloves will turn up. Which they don’t, because I suspect I left them behind somewhere last year, as you do.

So this year I decided to search for the perfect pair, gloves that would not only keep my hands warm but also wouldn’t break the bank, as I really do hate shelling out for something that I know for a fact will need to be replaced quite quickly. So although I would love to buy a pair of Ugg turn cuff beauties (and yes they are on my Christmas list) I’ll resist because though seriously gorgeous they’re also seriously expensive and would undoubtedly be pinched by my daughter at the first opportunity.

So where do you go from there? Well Dents offer a lovely pair in tan or mahogany, which again are quite expensive but having had a pair of these I can tell you they are really good quality, and Celtic sheepskin do as well and for any of these I can tell you if you want to order in time for Christmas you need to get your skates on as they are all either selling out or on re-order.

A website I have recently discovered, and ordered from, is www.lambland.co.uk. I was surprised at the prices and I have to say that, having received my gloves, this company will not only be keeping my hands and possibly my feet warm this winter, they will also be fulfilling most of my Christmas list. The gloves are beautifully made, look gorgeous, are very well priced and are nicer than the pictures. There are sheepskin boots and slippers there as well, and also trapper style sheepskin hats. Not so sure about the latter, but the gloves are definitely mine…………

Beat the Cold-Cuddle-worthy Cashmere from Pure Collection

 

The minute it gets cold the cashmere pieces I own come tumbling out of my cupboard as quite frankly there’s nothing so wonderful to snuggle up in.

This season Pure Collection has a wonderful balance of traditional pieces (for men and women), styles you won’t find anywhere else and modern knits that are quite exceptional, such as their knitted biker jacket, long coat and cashmere poncho.  Add these to my shopping list of their cable polo neck and zip front hoodie and I’ll be well prepared to beat the cold.  And all of that’s without even mentioning the leather jeans and knitted dress, the latter which would be just perfect for wearing on Christmas Day.

    

Pure has added in some essential, wearable pieces that could take you from work to party and back including sleek jersey dresses and printed silk wraps, all of which, to my mind, require a beautiful piece of cashmere to go with.  Of course.  Well they would, wouldn’t they?

    

Some pieces already have waiting lists so it’s well worth having a look now and getting your orders in for Christmas, including gifts such as striped cashmere scarves, wristwarmers, and the softest cashmere socks.  Mine’s the cable snood, by the way.  Is anybody listening out there?……

There’s a special offer from Pure Collection  of 15% off and free delivery - just use promo code: PURE15. This will run until 22^nd December which is the last shipping date for delivery before Xmas.

What to Wear in New York

One of the problems of travelling quite a bit is getting your packing right, partly because wherever you go this question of relevance crops up, in that whatever your normal dress style, if you want to fit in somewhere and feel comfortable as well as appropriate you need to understand the dress code of that place. Couple that with a mixture of work and play - business meetings, the opera, dinners out, a serious lunch and visits to art galleries, not to mention shopping and a BA weight limit and you can be severely challenged.

New York is without a doubt one of the most sophisticated, hard edged cities in the world, where (and I saw this several times) skinny jeans tucked into boots and worn with a textured coat of some kind were balanced with the totally classic glamour of a black Hermes Birkin tossed over the arm, all just shrieking modern class. How some handbags managed to have quite such an impact whether carried by someone old or young I have no idea but as I say I saw several and this one always does, although the older women were not wearing jeans of course. And the handbag below is not the Birkin (try finding that online) but a Chanel Vintage from Matches Fashion.

For me, amazingly I only took four pairs of shoes, well three, really if you count that one pair were trainers. So a high pair of black evening heels, a high pair of black boots which would do for day for day or night, and a lowish pair of boots that I knew I could walk in, and that would work with day dresses and under jeans. One more pair? That would have been a pair of ankle boots, black with a mid heel so I could walk in them but high enough to wear with a dress if I felt so inclined and also with my jeans.

On to the jeans and I took the black slim leg jeans that have become my favourites. That is all you need unless you wear pants all the time, in which case I’d suggest a great pair of black wool straight leg pants The importance with both of these is fit, round the waist, on the backside, flattering your legs and absolutely the right length otherwise you look a complete idiot. Worry about this, the length really really matters.

I’m not a huge separates person, particularly when travelling as that can lead to so many complications. You have to decide which jacket to go with which skirt in which colourway and pack by outfits which inevitably leads to you taking more. Having said that had I had room I would have taking my just-above-the-knee black lace skirt which would do for day time meetings and informal dinners and paired it with a sleeveless black cashmere roll neck under a cashmere cardigan if necessary. In any case that black cashmere cardigan, and preferably one in another colour, can travel with you everywhere as can a fine leather jacket, although mine didn’t make the cut on this occasion.

Dresses? Are now there’s the rub as I am a collector and cannot bear to travel without a choice. So. A simple, beautifully cut black shift, preferably sleeveless, will never let you down and works for day or night. Pack something in a modern colour too - I have a pillarbox red DvF above the knee dress (yes one of those from a previous post) which definitely stands out from the crowd, is sleek and individual and again, travels with me everywhere. It worked just fine for a smart lunch in NY.

Karen Millen is the place to find evening glamour, and I never go away without one of her dresses, this time a tightly fitting corset dress with a sheer top. Can I eat in it? Well not a lot but that doesn’t hurt either. Getting in an out of cabs can be interesting as well. One more for evening would be something beaded, lace or textured, something pretty and glamorous that makes you feel great wherever you go. It doesn’t matter where you are with these, whether NY or Paris but couple a special dress with a pair of heels and you’ll feel wonderful everywhere.

You also need a really great coat that will work over everything. Forget the ‘I can’t be bothered to take my coat I’ll just go for that down jacket’ inclination. In NY smart sophistication is the name of the day and you’ll regret it if you don’t make the effort.

And finally accessories - depending on the time of year take black leather or suede gloves, a black wrap/scarf and a printed one and of course if you don’t have the Birkin (and I definitely don’t) a chic, preferably black or neutral bag for day in a modern/classic shape (and doesn’t have to cost the earth, there are some really good not so expensive chic handbags out there that will hold all your essentials on your flight, take you shopping, and out to lunch and look sassy and sophisticated), plus an evening bag, preferably quilted with a chain and most definitely preferably Chanel though again, of course, I’m saying that tongue in cheek. But I always travel with a day and evening bag. Always, and never regret it.

New York is a fast moving, modern, sophisticated city where young and old dress beautifully (on the whole). I always find that I’m happier if dressed appropriately, and the attitude ‘I’ll wear what I darned well like and forget the natives’ has only ever served to make me feel uneasy.

Doing so much travelling I like to get the basics right, and add to them (of course) with a few little forays to Bloomies or Banana Republic or Ann Taylor (which is wonderful for reasonably priced cashmere and accessories by the way). The huge danger for me personally is that my favourite designer is Diane von Furstenberg and in the US her clothes are at least 25% less than in the UK. Couple that with the fact that Bloomingdales will give you 10% off if you’re an alien and oh dear you’re really in temptationland. No I’m not going to tell you. Sorry dears.

Finally wherever you’re going make a list of the things you’re likely to be doing and have it all covered. Did I say 15 items? I definitely failed on this occasion……….