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Why A PAJ GPS Easy Finder Tracker Can Save You Stress

It isn't a secret that I love travelling. Travelling at the moment though can be highly stressful, especially travelling internationally. If you are flying anywhere soon, you may be worried about the delays that have been reported everywhere. This is due to a combination of many things.  Two of these are the sheer number of people travelling after being at home for two years, as many COVID-related restrictions are being lifted and not enough staff being employed in places like baggage handling. 

The sight of the number of bags at Heathrow left in a large hall has been shocking. I know that it took two hours for our luggage to be offloaded from our plane at Bristol Airport recently. I can only imagine what people at Heathrow have been going through.  Now if you have lost a suitcase or need to know where it is if you have to wade through a large amount of bags, then a GPS tracker can come into use. 

So I was thrilled when the PAJ GPS Easy Finder 4G tracker was sent to me to review. This is a sponsored post but all words and opinions are my own.

gps box


The Paj GPS Easy Finder tracker is a new generation of tracker with 4G network coverage. This tracker is in the form of a small device that can easily be stored in your luggage, kept in a car or kept on a person in your handbag or backpack. You can see the location of the tracker through their app or the PAJ website online. 

GPS back box

In the box is the tracker device, a pouch to keep it in and a neck strap, a quick start guide, in multiple languages, a charging cradle and a USB power outlet adapter

gps 3

Before use, you need to charge the tracker for between 8 to 12 hours. After you do that you need to sign up for a subscription. This is £5.99 a month if you pay monthly or there are other payment plans such as £54.99 per year. This will allow you to track the device. You then press the on button for a few seconds and the device will be on and available to track. To track, you sign into the website or download the app available. It's that simple to use. 

The PAJ GPS tracker has an SOS button for emergencies, is waterproof and has up to 14 days of battery life in standby mode. 

paj-case

So I charged the device and tried it out. 

tracker

I found the website and the app easy to use and it was very reassuring to be able to track my luggage as simply as using the tracker. In the Finder portal on the website or app you can also activate a series of alarms including low battery, speed limit and entering or exiting an area. It also has an SOS emergency button for your own safety and security.  Perfect for solo female travellers. 

The PAJ GPS Easy Finder tracker lives up to its name as it's very easy to use. It's also not too bulky or heavy to put in your case or to carry with you. If you are worried about losing your suitcase or backpack or having your luggage stolen this is the perfect tracker. Having your luggage tracked like this can help you be reunited with your luggage sooner thus saving your sanity and a large amount of stress. I think it would be a great gift for anyone who loves to travel too.  You can buy the PAJ GPS Easy Finder 4G tracker from their website or buy the tracker from Amazon. 

Let me know what you think. Would you use the PAJ Easy Finder Tracker?

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The Ultimate Guide to Buying Oversized Women's Jackets

Larger than Life: Wearing Oversized Jackets

The oversized trend is clearly here to stay. It's been seen on all the world's premier fashionistas: Kim Kardashian, Justin, and Hayley Bieber, Rihanna. They all pull off those oversized layers so flawlessly, mixing Ted Baker jackets with slim-fit trousers and high heels with slouchy boyfriend jeans. The options are endless, and there are so many exciting, contemporary combinations to be created. The best part of this trend, in our opinion, is the oversized coat or jacket. There are so many options to choose from; denim, classic trench, puffer, coach, parka, or bomber, just to name a few.

Getting your hands on the perfect piece is only half the battle: the rest of the battle is figuring out how to style it properly so that you don't end up looking like the bag down the street. The perfect oversized look walks a thin line and has to be styled just so as to be eye-catching and well put together. We’ve got a few tips on how to find and style the perfect oversized coat for you.



Choosing Your Oversized Jacket

The oversized look started out as a trend, but we believe it is going to stay around instead of disappearing, which means that you can incorporate it into your permanent style. We advise that outerwear is in a shade that is neutral to your wardrobe: in other words, something that will go with about 80% of the other garments that you own. If your style is super bright and loud, a brightly coloured or printed jacket will still work with most of what you have. Stay away from trending fabrics and prints unless this trend is something that works into your existing style.

Styling

Now that you’ve chosen the perfect oversized jacket. You need to think of a few key ways to style it.

Solo

If you’ve selected a blazer-style jacket that falls to around your mid-thigh, why not wear it alone? Wearing a coat or jacket so that it looks like a dress is a cool and edgy look to try out. This look works really well with either a really feminine kitten heel, a super chunky boot, or even a pair of trainers (think Princess Diana for inspiration). You can dress it all the way up, clubbing casual or brunch casual.



Layered

A more traditional way to wear your oversized coat is to layer it with much tighter pieces underneath. Layering with tight garments underneath the oversized coat creates a streamlined look with minimal effort. Some people like to layer oversized with oversized.

Belted

While an oversized coat usually hides more form than it shows, you can change that in an instant and give yourself a completely cinched waist by adding the perfect belt. Remember, if you’re shopping for the belt without the coat on, you need to buy a belt that fits about 2 sizes bigger than your actual waist because you have to get all the coat in there. If the coat is simple, you can go for a more eye-catching belt. If the coat is already eye-catching on its own, go for something a little more classic: less is more!

Matching Set

There's nothing cuter than a matching set. The only way to get a matching set with a pair of pants that fit properly and a coat that's oversized is if that's how the set was made: usually, these sets aren’t available as separate pieces. The great thing about buying a matching set is that you’re getting a huge range of outfits for the price of one. You can style the coat and bottoms together or separately.



Classic

If you’re looking for a more subdued but still super stylish and current way to style your oversized coat or jacket, we suggest that you go “pro”; a classic look featuring your oversized coat, a pair of pleated trousers, a button-down shirt and a nice pair of loafers or heels; a la the 90s. You can wear a look like this wherever you want: to return library books, out to dinner on a date, or to grab some groceries at the shops. You can substitute sneakers for a more casual look or heels for a dressier one.

Wrap Up

These are just some examples of different ways that you can choose and style an oversized coat. Remember that in fashion, the only real rule is that you’re happy and comfortable with the outfit that you’ve put together.
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Beating The Bills: How Households Can Save Money In 2022 And Beyond

Making ends meet is getting harder for most UK households. Inflation and supply chain squeezes have made the prices of many common household items, as well as energy and fuel, skyrocket over the last year.

bills

Here are five simple things that anyone can do to reduce their regular outgoings. You can make small savings every month that will add up to a huge amount over 2022, and beyond.

Get A Better Deal On Home Insurance

Taking care of the little things helps the big things to take care of themselves. Home insurance is very important in the event of an emergency and could be a requirement of your mortgage agreement.

Saving money on this monthly bill makes sense, especially if you do not lose any coverage. Look here for some exclusive home insurance quotes you cannot find anywhere else that can cut your costs down. You should always compare home insurance quotes before taking out an insurance policy or renewing one.

Switch Your Energy Supplier

The price of electricity and natural gas has surged in recent months and shows no sign of coming down. Several factors contribute to this, but the biggest ones are the conflicts in areas close to supplies and pipelines and the carbon emissions goals set by governments around the globe.

You can save some money if you switch your energy supplier to one that offers you a better deal, even if it is only a small reduction. Better still, you can often get £50 cashback when you make the change.

Choose A Cheaper Supermarket

The fastest-growing bill in British households today is the food bill. Prices are increasing on many everyday goods and foods, and families are struggling to keep up.

It is no surprise that budget supermarkets are exploding in popularity, with many people making the switch from big-name supermarkets like Tesco or Sainsburys to cheaper alternatives. Getting your weekly shop from a supermarket like Aldi or Lidl can help you to save up to £25 per shop for the average family.

Cut The Cable Cords

We are spending more than ever on entertainment, and as the bills start to mount up and times get tighter, this should be one of the first sacrifices we make.

Cut the cord and cancel some of your regular media streaming subscriptions. There are cheaper alternatives out there. Free services like YouTube are often overlooked too, even though there is plenty of music, movies, and sport available for free.

Keep Your Meters Up To Date

Many common household bills, like gas, electricity, and water, are on metered supplies. This means that every unit of energy or water you use is recorded on a meter in or on the outside of your home.

Energy and water suppliers may check this meter once or twice a year, but they estimate your usage the rest of the time. These estimates are often more than you have consumed, so keep your meter up to date and ensure you only pay for what you use.

Using just a few of these tips should help you to save a significant amount of money each month. Try them all, and you should be able to save yourself hundreds of pounds a year.
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The Beauty and History of Engagement Rings

When you think of engagement rings, what do you typically think of? Beauty? Luxury? An object imbued with an unquestionable mystery and made with expensive materials like gold and diamonds? But, did you know that the original engagement rings, tracing their way back to Roman times, didn’t include either gold or diamonds? Initially, engagement rings were an ownership p symbol made of such materials as ivory, stone, bone, base metals, and iron.

A Brief History of the Engagement Ring

engagement ring

In 850, Pope Nicholas I signified engagement rings’ meaning as a man’s intent to marry. Gold was the most popular material for such rings during this time. Then, back in 1947, diamonds became the stone of choice for diamond rings through an amazingly successful de Beers marketing campaign touting the slogan “Diamonds are Forever.”

“Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”

Everyone knows the song “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” It’s true, you know. But the problem with traditionally mined diamonds is that the diamond industry artificially inflates their cost by creating false scarcity due to being stockpiled. This stockpile was estimated at $5.2 billion in 1999 and would be worth about $9.1 billion today. However, you should note that de Beers promised to stop stockpiling in 2000. Diamonds also have a human toll, often being a point of contention in wars and political upheavals. The methods used to mine them are often environmentally unsustainable. But what if you could have diamonds’ beauty, luxury, and mystery without the expense? That’s where lab-grown diamonds come in.

The Beauty of Diamonds

The 4 Cs of Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat are what gemologists use to judge diamonds. Cut refers to the proportionality, sparkle, and brilliance of the diamond. It also notes the positioning and number of facets the diamond has. Various cuts can be defined as follows:

  • Round Brilliant 

  • Princess-Cut 

  • Emerald-Cut 

  • Asscher-Cut 

  • Marquise-Cut 

  • Oval-Cut 

  • Radiant-Cut 

  • Pear-Shaped 

  • Heart-Shaped 

  • Cushion-Cut



Colour refers to the colour a diamond has. It’s exceedingly rare to find a diamond without any colour at all. The clearer a diamond is – that is, the least amount of colour it has, the more valuable it is. Keep in mind the setting’s tone can affect how the diamond appears.

Clarity: looks at the diamonds’ external imperfections, known as “blemishes.” Internal flaws, known as “inclusions” or “internal characteristics,” are those things that give diamonds their character. Diamonds with the least amount of inclusions are the most expensive.

Carat represents the diamond’s weight, not necessarily its size. A diamond may have a heavier carat weight than another, but due to other factors such as poor cut, a high number of inclusions, and poor colouration may still look less brilliant than one with a smaller carat weight. 

Lab-Grown Diamonds

engaged couple


Lab-grown diamonds are created and produced in the laboratory. What does this mean?

  • They are indistinguishable from traditionally mined diamonds to the naked eye. Only specially-trained gemologists can only find these differences with highly advanced tools designed for that exact purpose.
  • They’re grown in about a month instead of being made in millions of years.
  • Most people can’t tell the difference between a mined diamond and a lab-grown one
  • They’re formed with the same processes as natural diamonds using heat and pressure.
  • Designation between lab-grown and mined diamonds lies only in their creation and origin.
  • Depending on the creation method, they are often more environmentally friendly. The CVD method of lab-grown diamond creation saves, 143 lbs (65kg) of C02, Approximately 126 lbs of air pollution, 250 tons of earth, 120 gallons of water, equivalent to about 2.86 barrels

Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Rings

In recent years, lab-grown diamond engagement rings have become more popular. In fact, lab-grown diamond engagement ring sales are up 63% while simultaneously eroding traditionally mined diamonds by 25% over the same timeframe. This shift in consumer attitude may be due to the cost, which can be 72% cheaper than traditionally mined diamonds, thus allowing consumers to opt for larger stones for their engagement rings.

The VRAI Difference

VRAI offers only “excellent cut” lab-grown diamonds. Their most popular engagement rings come in the following styles: “Signature Solitaire,” “Classic,” and “Three-stone” that are set in platinum or yellow 18-carat gold. In addition to the engagement rings, they also offer the following types of jewellery:
  • Necklaces that come in Solitaire, Pendants, Tennis, and Medallions
  • Earrings, including Solitaire Studs and both “Pavé Huggie” and “Bezel Drop Huggie” hoops, which are set in yellow, white, or rose gold.
  • Bracelets, including their “Bezel/Bezel Station Bracelet” and “Tennis Bracelet,” both of which are customisable in shapes and set in yellow, white, or rose gold.

VRAI Lab-Grown Diamonds Pricing

VRAI is a vertically-integrated jewellery company. Their environmentally friendly and sustainable process removes intermediaries and markups, providing excellent-valued diamonds. Furthermore, they ensure all of their diamonds have no human costs. Because they own the whole manufacturing procedure, use superior technology, cut and polish in-studio, and their diamonds pass through fewer hands, they pass along those savings to the consumer.

Buy From VRAI

If you’re shopping for diamond jewellery, specifically engagement rings, why not take the time to look at VRAI’s fantastic selection of lab-grown diamonds today? The environment will thank you for choosing a green product, and your wallet will thank you for the savings. Your conscience will even thank you, too. Buy a sustainable diamond today!

*Collaborative post
 

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Cotton Traders Wrinkle Free Collection

Summer is here and before long the autumn. As I am always looking for new fashion items to refresh my wardrobe I was pleased when Cotton Traders got in touch for a collaboration. I was gifted the items for this blog post but all opinions are my own.

If you are looking for Spring Summer clothes then check out Cotton Traders' new Suitcase Ready Style campaign which is bigger and better than ever. We have all been looking forward to the return of the summer holidays so if you are going abroad or staying in this country Cotton Traders has something for you.

The Wrinkle Free Collection is perfect for packing in your suitcase without creasing whilst their new items for August are ready for the perfect Summer and cooler Autumn days too. These collections are essential items to pack in your suitcase without getting creased.


Who are Cotton Traders?

Have you heard of Cotton Traders? Cotton Traders are a UK success story, started in 1987 by Fran Cotton and Steve Smith. They are known for their licensing with Rugby Union in the 1990s, producing authentic sweatshirts, their official charity partner Help for Heroes, and being worn in the Clint Eastwood Invictus film!

Which items did I pick?
Cotton Traders

I picked a variety of items above. Unfortunately, the Poppy dress was too big but everything else fitted perfectly.


Coast to Coast waterproof jacket, Romantic crinkle tunic and navy jersey leggings from a pack of 2

I really liked the bright pink of the Romantic crinkle tunic. It has ties which you can use to tie behind to accentuate your waist and pintucks. This gives you a flattering shape. The pearlised buttons add a nice design feature and the crinkle fabric is effortlessly wearable. Also available in Fern.

Jacket

Coast to Coast waterproof jacket, Romantic crinkle tunic and navy jersey leggings from a pack of 2

The Coast to Coast waterproof jacket is easy to wear. This hooded jacket is available in the colour magenta as featured above and in navy. It is fully waterproof to keep out the rain, whether you are walking the dog or picking up the kids from school. It has a lovely soft marl jersey lining too. I liked the fact that the hood comes off easily with poppers, and it has a flattering drawcord waist too as well as storm flaps to keep the weather out. A very practical and fashionable coat.


Spot print leggings from a pack of 2, top and shoes my own

The spot print leggings come in a pack of 2 with the plain navy leggings as shown previously. These leggings are brilliant, they are so easy to wear and comfortable on. I loved the fact they are stretchy and move with your body due to the cotton and elastane mix, and they also have an elasticated waist too. Perfect if you've eaten a little too much! They also come in a 2 pack of plain grey and spotted grey.


Cotton Traders also sell men's clothes, accessories, footwear and home essentials and standard delivery is £3.99 to your home, £5.99 for express delivery whilst click and collect is also available to your nearest Cotton Trader store or to an Evri parcel shop, prices on this varies. 


They often have big sales and you can also sign up to their email for 10% off. If you are looking for some great clothing for summer check out the Cotton Traders website. 

Let me know what you think of the items I have chosen.

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How To Choose The Best T Shirt

A t-shirt is a modern-day classic for everyone's wardrobe. A t-shirt is a versatile wardrobe item as it can be worn on a number of casual occasions and also can be dressed up for smarter wear too.  This is an ad.

man wearing t-shirt


But how do you choose the best t-shirt and what should you look out for? Let's look at how to choose the best t-shirt for your lifestyle.

Size

Firstly find the size that is right for you. The most flattering and versatile size is usually just a little bit loose. Avoid tight fit or incredibly baggy unless you are going for a certain look.  Sizes also vary between brands so it's worth measuring yourself and comparing it to the brand's sizing. Measure across the widest part of your chest to get the chest measurement. 

Colour

Monotone shades are best for versatility.  Black or white are the most popular and then colours like navy. White is great in the summer as black can absorb heat making you feel hotter,. If you are looking for something colourful for the summer, bright pink or green can add a dash of colour and can be teamed with smart trousers for the office, a loose-flowing skirt, shorts, leggings or jeans. 

Length

The classic length should be just below the waist so they do not ride up too far. If you are going for big and baggy then the length can be longer, and shorter will end up looking like a crop top. It's always worth remembering some cotton t-shirts will shrink too.

Shape

V neck and crew neck are two main styles that are versatile, you can also get other styles like a boat neck, scoop neck or off the shoulder,  If you have a large bust a v neck can be more flattering if it is not too low.  T-shirts can be short-sleeved, three-quarter or long sleeves. 

Material

Cotton is the material of choice for most t-shirts. Cotton is an affordable breathable fabric and you can buy sustainable organic cotton which is great for the farmers and the environment too.  If you exercise you can buy moister wicking t-shirts and t-shirts that are made of a sweat-proof material stopping armpit sweat stains. You can also get material that can stretch such as jersey which is a cotton elastane mix.

Design

T-shirts don't only come in simple colours, they are also available in a wide variety of patterns and designs, from concert and band t-shirts, art graphic t-shirts and slogan t-shirts amongst others. If you are going for a patterned t-shirt, choose one which reflects your interests or fits in with your wardrobe colour scheme. You can also buy t-shirts with embroidery or other embellishments 

Price

You do get what you pay for. Sustainable cotton will be more expensive than cheaper cotton, and more expensive t-shirts will generally be cut better, be of better quality, won't lose colour and last you longer.  

So here is how to choose the best t-shirt for you. Tell me, do you have a favourite t-shirt?

For more fashion tips check out my menswear tips for summer.

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