Monthly Archives: November 2011

Which Department Store Has The Best Range of Cool T Shirts?



As a dedicated follower of fashion you will know that one of the best places to get great designs at great prices is at one of your local department stores. With the in-house clothing ranges available in stores like Debenhams, Selfridges, M&S, House of Fraser and John Lewis all becoming better and better over time, they are now a fine place to go for all your fashion needs.

In the past, department stores’ own brand t-shirt departments were stocked nowhere near as well as their high fashion rivals, now departments stores ranges are of a quality which is really pushing the style levels very high and if high fashion stores had a comparable range of good value fashion t-shirts they would indeed be very good competition. For now though let’s just find out who has the best range of fashionable t-shirts amongst the department stores…

Debenhams

The casual clothing section at Debenhams is particularly good. With excellent designers like Ben Sherman available, those visiting this store are in for a treat. However, while they do have great range of clothing, if you are looking for more offensive t-shirts you will find it hard to find anything even a bit risqué.

Selfridges

Have been under fire in the past for dropping some of their plus size clothing ranges, Selfridges have a lot to answer for. Sadly, they have made no changes since this rash decision, leaving thousands of Selfridges mad, plus sized t-shirt wearing women forced to look elsewhere for their clothes. They do however have a range of cool t shirts which includes a particularly nice Guinness one.

M&S

Marks and Spencer has one of the worst ranges of cool t-shirts in the country. While they have a range of designers who make lovely plus size clothing like women’s dresses and coats, they don’t have a very good selection of fashion t shirts and certainly nothing that could be deemed cool.

House of Fraser

While House of Fraser has a good selection of big brand t shirts and a number of slogan t shirts, they still don’t cater for the retro t shirt market or have any funny t shirts. The t shirts they do have are quite cool though.

John Lewis

John Lewis has a fairly limited selection of cool t shirts. The ones they do have are good quality though but still, probably unsurprisingly, no offensive t shirts.

Winner: Selfridges

Beach House Decor



Beach house decor has many exciting and fun designs that make any home a tropical paradise. There are many unique items available for every room of the house from the bathroom to the kitchen. You will find shower curtains and other accessories that portray the beach theme along with many other wonderful and exciting items.When you know how to choose the perfect accent items for your home or room, you can create a fantastic experience for yourself and your house guests.

Here are a few of the items that are available.
Wasketbaskets Beach scenic clocks Beach wall art Bedding Tapestry Throw rugs

You can use these items and add to your home in a variety of ways. The more creativity you have, the more you can do with some of the simplest decor items out there. When decorating with the beach house decor you should consider painting your rooms to match the overall theme to enhance the decor. Some of the most popular colors include light blues, greens, seafoam green, yellow, pink, sandstone and orange. Wicker furniture is also a very popular way to decorate with the theme and aquatic lighting is needed to bring the look together.

Don’t forget about the outside of your home. You can continue the theme with a decorative mailboxes, welcome signs, area lighting and metal sun art. Show your love for the sand and ocean by decorating your home with beach house d

Beach House Decorating Ideas



Beach house decorating should never be a chore, in fact, when deciding how to decorate a vacation home or beach house you need to keep one thing in mind: relaxation.

By its nature, decorating a beach house should not occupy a huge amount of your time. Instead, you should be doing what you bought the beach house for in the first place, relaxing by the beach.

If your beach house is a hideaway retreat for your, your loved on or your family, don’t worry about a large amount of furniture and fancy furnishing. Instead, opt for a simple kitchen setup, one where you can all enjoy a nice breakfast and good meal without worrying about ruining the china or spilling on the table or rug.

Pick chairs and tables that capture the relaxing feel. Leathers and expensive fabrics should be avoided. Think about it, beach means sand dirt, wet bathing suits, shell collections, maybe the occasional bucket full of fish and, most importantly, lots of lounging. Get a few comfy couches for afternoon naps in the ocean breeze.

Wicker has proved enormously popular in beach communities, many choosing it for its durability, its natural and summery feel and the ease in which it can be cleaned. Wicker furniture definitely captures the beachy feel, but without the proper cushioning, can be somewhat uncomfortable. Don’t worry so much about matching. Walk into any beach home, and often the furniture is a rag-tag collection of mixed and matched (or unmatched) thrift store pick ups, discarded old furniture from the main home, or furniture that has been around for ages.

If entertaining is your thing, plastic tables and chairs are not only the perfect solution, but are almost an expected staple of the beach house.

When guest arrive, they are generally there to enjoy the view, soak up the ocean air, and engage in some casual conversation over a cocktail or a nice cup of coffee. While it should not be completely ignored, don’t stress over style and elegance, that’s not the idea here. Instead, the idea is to enjoy the company of others. Since mingling is key, make sure you have extra chairs around that can be pulled out and put away when more people come to join.

A buffet table is a great investment, especially folding ones that can be set aside in a closet or attic and brought out and set up inside or out when the need arises.

Make sure the furniture is lightweight as well. One of the reasons plastic sets prove so popular is they can be moved with ease around the house, and can be taken outside. Another practical reason for plastics is its durability and ability to stand up to the elements, beach house decorating should also take into consideration the fact that rain, high winds and humidity are par for the course. Salt air also can have a negative effect on furniture, which makes plastics such an attractive option. Not only can it be moved when the wind and rain arrive, but it can stand up to the salt air and humidity.

In the end, remember that beach house decorating should be done with the ultimate goal of relaxation. Don’t worry about the furniture, focus on the view.