Famly and Social Life

Grace Woodard’s Top Wardrobe Tips

Posted by Ginny Marriott on March 24, 2012
Posted in: Beauty, Famly and Social Life, Fashion. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

SPRING IS COMING: CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER TO REVEAL HIDDEN WARDROBE ASSETS

Top tips to make the most of your wardrobe this spring.   With the clocks going forward this weekend to welcome the start of spring, now is the perfect time to delve into your wardrobe to rediscover clothes from seasons gone by.  Research by home furnishing experts IKEA reveals that on average Brits are hoarding £1,212 worth of clothes in their wardrobes and the official arrival of spring on 21st March is the perfect time to uncover these hidden gems. Despite having wardrobes filled with the latest fashion, almost half of Brits claim to be bored with their clothes and only 3% say they feel excited about choosing a different outfit each day. A third also admit to wearing only 10% of their outfits, resulting in £1,090 worth of clothes left hanging on the rails untouched. According to the survey, we are not making the most of the clothes we already own and the lack of excitement around the contents of our wardrobes is due to poor organisation, as almost half of the nation describes the state of their wardrobe as ‘unorganised chaos’. Almost a quarter admit to grabbing the first thing that comes to hand each morning with a further 23% rotating the same old trusted outfits over and over again.  There are simple, affordable steps that can get your clothes in order this spring.

Bedrooms expert Pippa Swain commented, “Our research shows that despite having a wealth of outfits to choose from, Brits are often left feeling frustrated and uninspired by the contents of their wardrobes. Instead of buying new clothes, money savvy Brits should invest in storage solutions that help rediscover the items they once loved. ”

Grace Woodward

Celebrity stylist Grace Woodward has teamed up with IKEA to give some top tips on how to spring clean and reorganise your wardrobe chaos, she comments: “Just as you have many different roles to play in a day, so does your wardrobe. It needs to organise your clothes, hang them properly, show off your best bits and keep all those things you’d rather forget cleverly hidden away.. The key to great styling and feeling confident about what you wear all starts with your wardrobe – the home of your fabulous fashion and source of inspiration”.

Grace Woodard’s Top Tips for getting the most out of your wardrobe:

1. Clarity is Key: One of the worst wardrobe habits is hoarding clothes that we never wear, I recommend clearing out your wardrobe every year considering the season coming.  If it doesn’t fit or can’t be worked it into an outfit then you need to get rid!

 2. Hang with pride: Once you have de-cluttered the next step is reorganising! It’s important to make the most  of the space within your wardrobe, never over fill – you don’t have to hang everything. .

3. You Are Your Canvas: Making a great outfit is like painting, you are using colour and texture to create something interesting to look at. People think they don’t have time but if you know where to reach in and grab those little extras like accessories then your look becomes more interesting.

4. Kick Off: I encourage people to have a shoe to suit every mood, but we are emotional multifaceted creatures and so the shoe collection can get quite large. Shoe racks and boxes are the key to footloose and fancy free self-expression – a total must for good shoe care too.   Boxes with clear fronts, help keep dust away and make it easy to choose the right pair for your outfit.

UK Consumers React To The Budget.

Posted by Ginny Marriott on March 24, 2012
Posted in: **NEWS**, Famly and Social Life. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

UK consumers react to the budget.

So much for ‘Dave’s Big Society’ as the gap between the rich and poor widens – 8% say that the recession is building a community spirit and a “we’re all in it together attitude” –

52% of consumers agree that division in society between the haves and have-nots is getting wider –

Only 9% feel they will be better off

and 38% are worried about their finances –

58% say that they are negatively affected by the decision not to reduce petrol prices –

54% feel negatively affected by road tax increase –

31% cutting back on charitable donations

UK consumers are feeling more worried about their finances as a result of Wednesday’s budget, with cutting back on charity giving, eating out and turning to the Black Market among the measures they are considering to help ease their financial situation. Restaurants and food outlets will be hit hard, as the most popular cutback is on buying takeaways (41%) followed by eating out (34%). Charities will also lose out as 31% plan to cut back on charitable donations.

However, there is still some optimism in the air as playing the lottery remains a part of life that almost two thirds of UK consumers (59%) are unwilling to give up, while 3% said they will increase their spend on lottery tickets. When thinking about their financial situation and about how they manage their money between pay or pension days, UK consumers appear to be quite a sensible bunch with more than two thirds (69%) saying that they would never be tempted to use high interest payday loans. However, 8% say they are already using these.

More than half (52%) agree that the cuts as outlined in Wednesday’s Budget are creating great divisions in society between the haves and have-nots, with only 8% saying that a silver lining of the recession is that it is building community spirit with a “we’re all in it together” attitude. However, this sentiment increases among lower income earners with 63% thinking it’s causing a divide compared to 47% of middle income earners. When asked to think about their financial situation and whether the Budget will make it harder to stretch their money further, we asked consumers if they would be tempted to buy certain products on the black market, buy fake brands, or go over their duty limit on things like alcohol or cigarettes when travelling back from abroad.

Among smokers, however, there is a greater tendency to search out the black market or stretch the duty limits in order to get alcahol and cigerettes. (49%) also said they planned to cut back on holidays.

“These figures provide interesting insight into the way the general population is feeling as a result of the Budget,” said Marco Scognamiglio, CEO of RAPP UK. “While reports have suggested that some people will be better off, there are large numbers of people who will be worse off or who at least feel they will be worse off. “It is critical to listen to consumer conversations and sentiment following the budget and to respond in relevant ways as the power and influence they can have on brands and society is not to be underestimated.”

 [RAPP Proprietary Research using Toluna. Sample: 500 UK consumers.]

How Do You Handle Relationship Conflict?

Posted by Ginny Marriott on March 14, 2012
Posted in: Famly and Social Life, Relationships & Love. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Women scream and men run away:  When it comes to arguing with your partner, there’s a lot of learning to be done

 

A PARSHIP study shows that women tend to react more emotionally than men, while men tend to withdraw from relationship strife.  41% of Parship members surveyed, admit that, when they argue with their partner, they can easily let their emotions run away with them. When there is strife in a relationship, strong emotional reactions are more frequent among women than men (45% vs 36%) according to the findings of a representative survey of c.1000 people between 18 and 65, conducted by PARSHIP (uk.parship.com), the leading online dating agency across Europe. Offended or overcome with rage.

The survey also shows that, among people who react emotionally in the event of conflict, the nature of the emotional outburst differs widely: 40% rapidly take offence and stop speaking to their partner; around a third give vent to their anger and labour their point until their partner gives in, and around one in five withdraw from the argument, leaving the room or the house. Strikingly, men attempt significantly more frequently than women to withdraw from the argument and flee the situation, while women have a greater tendency to give vent to their anger.

“Insufficient skill in handling conflict is often the trigger for the failure of a relationship,” explains psychologist Markus Ernst, PARSHIP relationship expert. “For instance, gender-driven differences in communication style can easily lead to misunderstandings or even to the couple hurting each other. Women and men stand to learn something from each other in these situations as they work together to establish a constructive attitude to conflict in their relationship.” .

The independent online survey took place in January 2012.

all information is from sourcewire

Met Police Live Chat_have your say on stop & search.

Posted by Ginny Marriott on February 1, 2012
Posted in: **NEWS**, Famly and Social Life. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

London Police Commander Tony Eastaugh is to host lve webchat that you can be involved in, and the subject is the current stop and search policies.

On Wednesday, 1 February, (tomorrow) between 12.00 mid-day and 1 pm, Commander Tony Eastaugh will be hosting a webchat on the use of stop and search by the Metropolitan Police Service in London.

The met official website says that this presents a great opportunity for Londoners to ask him questions about how officers are using these powers and how the service is setting out to improve its approach announced by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe.

To join the webchat during the above hours, people can simply click the link below, use the link to set up a reminder or alternatively they can pre-submit a question via twitter using the #stopandsearchchat hashtag

MET POLICE LIVE CHAT

Eating Disorders on the rise for Men

Posted by Ginny Marriott on January 31, 2012
Posted in: Beauty, Famly and Social Life, Health & Fitness. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

A leading Mens Therapist Dr. Phil Tyson has claimed that an increasing number of men are seeking help for eating disorders.

Dr. Tyson says that national statistics estimate that between 10 and 25 per cent of people experiencing eating disorders ae men, Dr. Tyson says that his practice, based in Manchester, is reflecting this statistic.
“We are now seeing 17 and 18-year-old males that are exhibiting the similar cultural pressures that young girls and women have always had: to be ‘beautiful’.”
Dr. Tyson says that men are presenting themselves with a wide range of unhealthy body issues including an addiction to exercise and poor diet, sometimes also coupled with the taking of steroids, in order to try to achieve ‘male beauty’.
Other symptoms can include anorexia and bulimia or bigorexia (also known as reverse anorexia) where a man is showing compulsive obsessive behaviour to continually build his muscles.
“It’s quite evident that there is a lack of professional resources for men suffering from eating disorders in the UK. The exception is the charitable organisation ‘Men Get Eating Disorders Too’ which provides some guidance and signposting and is working hard to raise awareness.
Dr Tyson continues, “However, many professional counsellors and psychotherapists have not been trained to recognise the symptoms and are failing to notice and treat men with eating disorders “Equally, men find it difficult to accept diagnosis and treatment although there’s not much support available particularly in the NHS.”
Dr. Tyson, 44, works as a counsellor and psychotherapist, based in Manchester, and specialises in working with men and couples, particularly in the areas of depression, anxiety disorders, premature ejaculation, sex addiction, bereavement, terminal illness, and health anxiety.
He also writes a blog about men’s well-being and mental health, as well as essays on counselling and related themes.
He is regularly quoted in national magazines and talks on radio about men’s and relationship issues.
Last year, he published his first book “An Ethnographic Study of a Counsellor Training Programme: Person Centred Theory in Action.” about his experiences of training to be a psychotherapist 10 years ago.
He is an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
He has three degrees from the University of Manchester: a 1st class degree in Psychology, a Master of Philosophy in HIV Counselling and Support, and a Ph.D. in Counselling Theory and Counselling Practice.
Dr. Tyson is also a former lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University.

If you or anyone you know have concerns relating to any of the issues in this article contact Men Get Eating Disorders Too’ , where there is always somebody to help.

Police officer injured in firearm incident_Seige continues

Posted by Ginny Marriott on January 31, 2012
Posted in: **NEWS**, Famly and Social Life. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Sky News are reporting that Armed Police have flood lit and cordoned off a road in Sutton st. James west of Kings Lynn, as a siege continues with a man who injured an officer in a firearm incident yesterday.

The lights were set up on a oad outside the Lincolnshire village. The standoff happened on Tuesday afternoon on the main road that goes straight through the village.  Local residents have been told not to leave their homes untill further notice, they are urging people with plans to travel to the area, to stay away untill the incident has been dealt with, and the area is completely safe again. It is still unclear how or why the incident happened,  but police have confirmed the officer involved has suffered facial injuries after a firearm was discharged “by a member of the public”. SKY NEWS have named the man as Barry Horspool, and claims he is a 60 yea old local resident, known well locally.

 

Jessie J_Pure UK Gold

Posted by Ginny Marriott on January 25, 2012
Posted in: Famly and Social Life, Music, TV & The Movies. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 comment

Singer Jessie J is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars to arise from uk soil,  and it look like nothing is going to stop her becoming a global sensation.

Jessie J exploded on to the music scene in November 2010 with her debut single Do It Like A Dude, which reached number 2 in the charts, and since then the hits have kept coming, Her second single ‘Price Tag’ hit the number one spot, and stayed in the uk charts for 51 weeks, it was a top ten hit in at least 20 countries around the world,  the tracks ‘Who Are You’ ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ and ‘Who’s Laughing Now’, kept Jessie J in the top ten throughout 2011 and her latest hit ‘Domino’ is currently at the number one spot.  ‘Domino was also released in the US earlier this yea, making her a household name across the globe. So how did the young shy girl from Chadwell Heath, London start her rise to the top?

Jessie J, real name Jessica Ellen Cornish,  the youngest of three sisters,  grew up in London attending Mayfield High school, she went on to enrol at Colin’s Performing Arts School, and at aged 11 she was cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s West End production of Whistle down the wind.  Jessie J has admitted that the academic side of school was never her strong point, and was always into writing songs, drawing and doing makeup.  At aged 16 she stated attending Brit School in London, along side singers Leona Lewis and Adele, and at 17 she was pat of a girl group named Soul Deep. at 18 years old Jessie J had a set back when she suffered a minor stroke, although she fully recovered from her health scare, Jessie says ” it makes you realise you can’t guarantee life everyday” continuing, she says “it made me appreciate life….i learned to express myself artistically”.

Jessie started her career as a song writer and has written songs for artists such as Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus, and was signed to a record label fo a long time before she released her first single, Her singing career has taken flight with full , and it doesn’t look like it will be slowing down any time soon. The Debut album from Jessie j titled ‘Who Ae You,was released in February 2011 and charted at number 2 in the UK Album Chart, that same month she won the BRIT Award, Critics Choice Award, and at the end of last year it was announced that Jessie is one of the coaches and mentors on the tv show TV Show The Voice, which she is currently filming. These are some pretty amazing achievements for a woman who isn’t quite twenty-four years old, she definately makes Britain poud.

 

Heidi Klum and Seal Shock Split.

Posted by Ginny Marriott on January 23, 2012
Posted in: **NEWS**, Celebrity NEWS, Famly and Social Life, Fashion, Music, Relationships & Love. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Super model and TV Mogul, Heidi Klum has confirmed that she is separating from her singer husband Seal, after seven years of marriage.

A publicity agent on Klum’s behalf has released a statement saying;    While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul-searching we have decided to separate,”

she continued saying,  “We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart…..”This is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition.”

Four time Grammy winner, Seal and Super Model Klum are well-known for their public declarations of love to each other, so the news is a big shock to everybody.  They have four children, one of which is  Heidi’s  daughter from a previous relationship with Formula One boss Flavio Briatore,  but Seal is her adoptive father, Every year on the anniversary of their marriage they have renewed their vows, but this year that will not be happening

“We thank our family, friends and fans for their kind words of support,” the agency said in the statement released by its Los Angeles-based office and confirmed by a spokeswoman for the company in Klum’s native Germany.

“And for our children’s sake, we appreciate you respecting our privacy.”