Lifestyle

The summer is almost upon us. Hurrah! For some of us it means travelling to near or far flung places for family gatherings, weekends away, holiday pleasure and some much needed rest and relaxation. Whether long haul or short haul, whatever you do, don’t leave home without bagging yourself the right bags for your trip.

CARRY ON & CARRY OFF

For special short breaks and for your carry-on, you need a cabin bag that’s super versatile and easy to get from A to B. First and foremost, each airline has their own set of size guidelines when it comes to cabin luggage. Get your dimensions wrong and you could end up with extra hassle at the airport and paying hefty charges for your luggage to go in the hold if it’s too big for the cabin.

To find the ideal hand luggage to take with you on your flight think about what you will be taking with you and compartmentalise your packing accordingly.

Make sure you have a telescopic and adjustable handle, side handles to make it easier to lift into the overhead locker and the more wheels the better as you’ll get better movement and stability.

IT Worlds Lightest Small Wheel Suitcase £29.99 Argos
American Tourister Wavebreaker 8 Wheel Small Suitcase £49.99 Argos
IT Luggage 4 Wheel Hard Cabin Case £39.99 Argos

If you’re taking a computer with you, then opt for an airline approved cabin bag with a built in laptop section. You’ll also want to consider whether you want a case that can fit under your seat for quick access.

Asaklitt 32 L Cabin Trolley Case £39.99 Clas Ohlson
Wenger Potomac Wheeled Laptop Case £89.99 Clas Ohlson

If aesthetic is more important to you than function then there are plenty of colourful cabin bags around at bargain prices. From stripes and florals to bold brights, the choice is endless.

Sovereign Suitcase 49cm in Teal or Floral £12.99 B&M
Excel Suitcase Foldable Cabin Trolley Bag in Black, Blue or Pink £9.99 B&M

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

When you’re escaping on holiday for a week or more, or just packing for every eventuality, you need a case that offers the space and features to get your stuff all the way to your destination, and all the way back again.

Make sure your case has straps inside to keep your belongings secure and in place for the duration of your journey. Pockets and compartments provide extra space and are perfect for keeping important stuff safe and expandable luggage gives you more space when you need it, especially if you’re planning on coming home with more than you left with. One other tip, if you’re trying to blag an upgrade then make sure you look the part. Why not choose an eye catching and chic luggage set to accompany you on your travels?

Tripp Chambray ‘World’ 4 wheel Suitcases from £49.00 at Debenhams
Tripp Holiday 5 Suitcases various Colours from £45.00 at Debenhams

FOR LITTLE PEOPLE & GROWN UP KIDS

Travelling with children, whatever their age can be stressful, but you can take away some of the hassle by choosing luggage that they’ll love.

Star Wars and Little Miss Sunshine Suitcases
55cm, 66cm, 76cm from £34.99 to £54.99 B&M Stores

Luggage designed specifically for children can have a dual purpose and help them beat the boredom of travelling. Flyte is a combination of a compact piece of luggage, a pull along trolley case and a scooter. It easily folds out from a travel case into a fun steer scooter to make running to the gate a breeze!

Designed to be used as hand luggage, kids can pack their Trunki with their favourite belongings, while you can keep them in tow, let them ride on next to you, or take a seat while waiting to board.

Flyte H20 Midi Case Scooter and Olivia The Owl Midi Flyte Case Scooter both £69.99
Trunki Frank the Firetruck and Trunki Una the Unicorn each £39.99 from Argos

Kid’s accessories can also be fun. From cute luggage tags and passport holders for babies to cool travel accessories for teenagers who want to retain their individuality.

Bambino My First Passport & luggage Tag £12.99 Argos
Watermelon Luggage Tag £3.99 New Look
Away We Go Travel Essentials Set £10.00 Claire’s

PACK & PROTECT

There is no such thing as too many bags to make your packing more streamlined. From bags to help you pack in a modular system, to bags specifically designed to protect your shoes, lingerie and swimwear in your suitcase, and bags dedicated to protecting your technology from beachside antics, seek and you shall find.

Asaklitt 6-Pack Luggage Organisers £8.99 Clas Ohlson
Travel Bags £1.00 Poundland

Pro-Tec CaseIt Active Universal Mobile Waterproof Pouch £9.99 EE Stores
Proporta Beachbuoy Large £12.49 Superdrug
Rugged waterproof Phone Pounch £14.99 Maplin
Travel Pouch £2.99 Superdrug

GET ORGANISED

A passport holder or a travel pouch is the one item you will be pleased you took as you’ll be able to put all your important travel documents in one place as well credit cards, certificates, passport, etc. From practical styles you can keep in your pocket or wear around your neck, to ones with funky prints that make a statement about who you are, whatever you choose it will help you stay organised.

Beauty Junky Passport and Ticket Holder £7.50 Boots
Trendz Map Passport Cover £13.00 Boots
Marvel Comics Passport And Luggage Tag Set £12.00 Clintons

Techy fans will love the revolutionary Hidentity Passport Plus Cover, it stops criminals from reading the data stored on the RFID chip in your passport or credit and debit card due to a protective foil embedded in the cover. It is so thin that very little bulk is added to your passport so will even fit in your coat pocket.

Asaklitt Neck Wallet in Turquoise, Pink or Black £5.99 Clas Ohlson
Asaklitt Travel Wallet £4.99 Clas Ohlson
Hidentity Passport Plus Cover £7.49 Maplin
Neon Passport Holders £1.00 Poundland

TAG IT

Finally, make sure you stand out in a crowd at the baggage carousel with brightly designed luggage tags and say goodbye to picking up the wrong case.

Slogan Luggage Tags £1.00 Poundworld
Not Your Bag Luggage Tags £7.99 Maplin
Askalit Owl Luggage Tag £2.49 Clas Ohlson
Glo Luggage ID Tag £2.49 Superdrug
Old-Fashioned Luggage Labels £7.71 WHSmith

Whether you’re the Mother of The Bride, Maid of Honour, Bridesmaid or a wedding guest, finding your dream dress that will make you look and feel spectacular on the day itself needn’t be difficult. The high street is full of fabulous dresses to choose from, at purse friendly prices and upwards, so where should you begin?

ALL ABOUT THE DRESS

Whatever your role at a wedding it’s important to get your dress right. Remember the photographs will be around for years. Yet with so many styles to choose from, it can often prove a daunting task, so make sure you find the right dress to suit your individual style. Think outside the box for your dress and buy something that will give you excellent cost-per-wear, and if you’re on a tight budget, high street offerings mean you don’t need to compromise on style. With so much on offer it is easy to be inspired.

NEUTRALS UNDER £70

If you’re a bridesmaid then shunning traditional bridesmaid styles will not only allow for an individual and fashion-forward look, it can also save serious money. Investigate the eveningwear collections of your favourite high street stores, look for summery dresses in quality fabrics and look for dresses in a range of nudes, peaches and creams as tonally these shades will suit you and every other lady-in-waiting. If you’re a guest then shy away from nude and cream and go for peach or coral as you won’t want to blend in with the bridal party. Here’s our pick of neutral dresses for under £70, which you’ll be able to wear again and again.

Images: Quiz, River Island, New Look, Miss Selfridge, Primark

Nude Chiffon Dress by Quiz £69.99
Cold Shoulder Frill Dress by River Island £30.00
Embellished Wrap Dress by New Look £39.99
Pleated Dress by Miss Selfridge £49.00
Nude Chiffon Dress by Primark £20.00

PRINTS & FLORALS UNDER £50

If you so want to stand out from the crowd and wear something that you can enjoy for the rest of the summer then consider choosing a pretty floral print or a bright geometric print. Add cut-outs, simple necklines and the odd ruffle or two and you will look achingly fresh and chic. The bolder the print the better, as it will add an injection of colour to the wedding photos. Here is our pic of the crop under £50.

Images: New Look, Quiz, Dorothy Perkins

Pink Ruffle Midi Dress by DP £50.00
White Floral Prom Dress by New Look £34.99
Yellow Floral Print Maxi by New Look £39.99
Flower Print Dip Hem Dress by Quiz £34.99
Yellow Ruffle Midi Dress by DP £50.00

MIX & MATCH MAIDS

The rule of thumb with bridesmaid dresses is that one style rarely suits all. The answer is to either convince the Bride to let you and your girlfriends work within a colour scheme, choosing from a range of different dresses in the same shade and fabric, whilst retaining individuality through trims and embellishments, alternatively you could select the same dress in different shades.

Images: Little Mistress

Images: Quiz, New Look, Dorothy Perkins

Chiffon Embellished High Neck Maxi Dress by Quiz £74.99
Satin Bardot Dress by DP £50.00
Lattice Back Midi Bridesmaid Dress by New Look £34.99
Lace Sequin Bardot Neck Scallop Dress by Quiz £36.99
Neck Maxi Dress by Quiz £69.99

DETAIL IS IN THE ACCESSORIES

Complement your wedding outfit with a beautiful bag. From envelope clutches in plain satin or lace or with sequins and beads, to hard-shell clutch bags ornamented with sparkling jewels, pearls and 3D embellishments, your bag needs to look premium to match your outfit, even if the price tag isn’t. Whether you choose an embellished or an understated design it needs to be large enough to hold your lipstick, a mirror compact, a handkerchief and your mobile phone.

Images: Claire’s

Selection of hair accessories from Claire’s

ADD A DASH OF SPARKLE

When it comes to jewellery the rule of thumb is less is more. Choose delicately crafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings with a subtle shimmer and a dash of sparkle or pearl. If you’re wearing drop earrings you may want to keep your neckline minimal. You can still make a statement; the trick is to go for understated elegance rather than bold bling. Whether you opt for precious metal or costume jewellery is entirely your choice.

Images: Warren James

The Mirabella Collection from £17.00
The Fortuna Necklace £15 & Lucille Bangle £58 all by Warren James

Images: Warren James

The Biarritz Collection from £18
The Channelle Collection from £24.00 all by Warren James

Lastly make sure you wear the dress and the dress doesn’t wear you. Irrespective of choosing a traditional or contemporary, elegant or quirky dress, it’s how the whole outfit is pulled together that says a lot about you.

We live in a world where you can buy virtually anything you might want from the comfort of your own home. And while we certainly appreciate a good online shopping binge, you just can’t beat the real thing. Your shopping centre is more than just a shopping centre; it gives you the ability to interact on so many levels.

Would it surprise you to know that as a nation we are no longer visiting a shopping centre and just grabbing what we want then running? These days our shopping centres are not just about shops and selling but are all about providing a place to visit to try new things, offering one-stop shopping convenience, time saving services and a little bit of escapism. It’s not surprising that almost a third of shopping centre visitors use it as a destination to eat, drink and socialise.

Why not bring friends or family along and discover some new and pleasurable experiences? Look on your shopping centres website and social media channels to find out about the latest pop ups, entertainment and shopping events. Many now have a calendar of year-round activity for all ages, including farmers markets, live music, character visits, cooking demonstrations and workshops.

Here are 10 reasons why your Shopping Centre is more than just a place to shop.

1. It’s the original one-stop-shop.

Buy a digital radio, a new wardrobe and a delicious cupcake – book a holiday, post a birthday card, get a manicure and get your iPad screen fixed, simultaneously.

2. Hungry?

Whether your shopping centre has a fully blown food court or a small selection of independent café’s or restaurant chains, there will be great food and fast food available, so whether you’re on the go or after a leisurely brunch, you certainly won’t starve.

3. It’s a prime people-watching hot spot.

A variety of shops mean a variety of different people. Look around for some fashion inspiration or just sit back and watch human behaviour at it’s best, or worst.

4. You can relax – yes really.

Your shopping centre could almost be a day spa. From hairdressers and nail salons to tanning shops and eyebrow threading bars – book back-to-back appointments and then head to the nearest massage chair if there is one on offer.

5. It’s dependable, whatever the weather.

Nothing kills an outdoor shopping trip like a bit of harsh weather. For obvious reasons, that problem becomes irrelevant on a trip to your shopping centre.

6. You will experience instant gratification.

Find what you want and take it home with you right away. No wait, no delivery charges and no having to take that little white card the postman put through your letterbox to the collections point at your post office.

7. You can have your great escape.

Get away, if only for a couple of hours, from daily obligations and responsibilities and enjoy some “me time” with your kindle and a coffee. Alternatively it makes “working from home” pretty easy if there is free Wi-Fi.

8. You’ll be entertained, for free.

For you, for the kids or just because you have a few hours to kill, why not try something new, and be entertained. No other retail venue can provide the level of entertainment a shopping centre can and at no cost to you.

9. Find a child-minder for £1.

Kids driving you crazy? For the price of £1 there will be some sort of fire engine, camper van, police car or aeroplane you can plonk your little ones on and zone out just a little bit while they enjoy the ride.

10. It gives you options.

From finding price comparisons and multi-tasking to throwing in the towel when you can’t find what you want and having afternoon tea instead. Your shopping centre will be whatever you need it to be, and more. Plus parking is super easy.

The White Rose Centre boasts a range of shops that includes major high street brands such as The Fragrance Shop, Boots and JD Sports and fabulous food places such as Sayers for healthy snacks and the Thyme Out Tea Room & Sandwich Bar. Boasting over 300 parking spaces and operating a state of the art Chip Coin car parking system, it truly is a hassle free parking and shopping experience.