Category Archives: Menswear

An Interview With Rewound Clothing

”Sustainable first, quality always” is the aim of this week’s guest, Ellie Jaffa, Owner of Rewound Clothing. Rewound Clothing is a men’s sustainable fashion brand that launched in May 2023 and all products are made from either 100% premium recycled fabric or bespoke 100% natural fibre blends. Sounds pretty impressive to me 😊. Hi Ellie and welcome to the blog….

Hi, I’m Ellie, I’m 32 years old and the owner of Rewound Clothing alongside being a freelance marketing consultant living in South West London.

What inspired you to launch Rewound Clothing, your men’s sustainable fashion brand? 

I launched the brand with my dad who has been in the fashion industry for over 50 years. We started discussing the business during covid, when at the time I was working full time for an ecommerce start up. We felt that we could combine dad’s knowledge of the fashion industry and passion for creating incredible unique fabrics and textures with my knowledge of online marketing and passion for sustainability. Initially we started with the idea of a recycled range. We used dad’s years of experience to create a product that not only has 100% recycled fabric, but also uses recycled labels, linings, and packaging as well as biodegradable buttons.

    Have you always had an interest in fashion  designing or did you have other career plans whilst growing up? 

    I’ve always had a passion for craft and making things, and part of that stemmed from using the fabrics dad bought home for sewing projects. From handmade Barbie dresses to hand sewing individually designed beanbags for my entire school class for Christmas at the age of 10! I took up sewing more seriously after university and began making my own clothes, although these days my time sewing is mostly dedicated to my fancy dress costumes for Halloween! My dream job growing up was to be a kids TV Presenter, Blue Peter in particular, and I even sent off an audition tape once. Unfortunately, my TV career never took off and I found myself in the world of online marketing, specialising in CRM and Customer Retention. I’ve been working in marketing for 10 years now and still consult as a freelancer alongside growing Rewound.m

    I love that your products are transeasonal, timeless and ooze of quality as well as being sustainable! What products/designs are most popular at the moment? 

    Our overshirt, The James, is definitely a customer favourite and best seller at the moment. It’s an incredibly versatile shirt that can be worn smart or casually, and as a jacket or a shirt. Due to the recycled fabric it’s also incredibly soft and comfortable to wear, whilst also looking and feeling premium.

    My favourite shirt of the range is The Lukas, and I actually wear it myself! It’s quite hard to portray the quality and feel of the fabric online but it’s made from a bespoke blend of hemp and lyocell. It’s silky soft and the drape is amazing whilst also having the weight and look of a medium linen.

    Why did you choose to focus on men’s fashion instead of women’s fashion?

    This was primarily due to our area of expertise. With dad’s background in men’s fashion we knew we could produce a really strong product range and do it really well. We used the knowledge to produce timeless and transeasonal products that won’t go out of style and are the basis of a capsule wardrobe.

    When designing items to go into your collections, do you go for popular trendy styles and colours, customer requests, personal favourites or do you take all 3 into account?

    Leading on from the above, as a sustainable brand we are not looking to keep up with fast fashion trends. The style of our shirts are fashionable but are also part of an always on trend, fortunately with 50 years in the industry dad’s seen what styles stick around! We took this same approach with our colour pallet, looking at what is currently on trend and ensuring we tied that in with colours that are always on trend so they wouldn’t go out of style. You’ll notice we’ve generally used a neutral pallet for the range which also enables transeasonality.

    As you are based in the UK, are your items available to purchase overseas?

    At present we primarily sell in the UK, however, we are looking to become more available overseas – watch this space!

    Your brand tagline is “Sustainable first, quality always”  – just how sustainable is Rewound Clothing? 😊

    All of our products are made from either 100% recycled fabric or 100% natural fibres, they are all detailed with biodegradable corozo buttons, recycled garment labels, sustainable linings and threads, as well as being packaged in recycled, recyclable packaging. On top of that we are partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects and plant a mangrove tree in Madagascar for every order.

      We recently partnered with Bearth Solutions to run environmental lifecycle assessments on our products and were really proud of the results. They showed that The James has 19% less carbon emissions, and a 40% lower environmental footprint than the average overshirt! The assessment enabled us to deep dive into the full lifecycle of our products and gain deeper knowledge as to why textiles such as our 100% recycled fabric are so much better for the environment.

      We’re also fortunate that we can work with incredibly small mills which have allowed us to produce a small volume of each product rather than mass production which often leads to waste. However, we are still making progress on our sustainable journey and we’re certainly not perfect, but these lifecycle assessments have highlighted where we can have the biggest impact and improve as we continue to grow!

      Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

      I’m a big dress, boots and tights girl in the winter. I do have a lot of shoes which I tend to plan my outfits around!

      Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

      Most of the time I shop on Vinted or in charity shops these days! I love a bargain and being able to give clothes some second hand love. I’ve been selling and shopping on ebay for as long as I can remember, I think what used to be called thrifty is now known as sustainable!

      Boots or Shoes?

      I do love both… but I’d have to say boots! They are probably my favourite thing about dressing for Winter! I’ve had some of my favourite boots for going on 15 years, they are a wardrobe staple for me and quite often I plan my outfit around my shoes!

      For pinning later

      Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Rewound Clothing.

      www.rewoundclothing.com

      https://www.instagram.com/rewound_clothing/

      https://www.facebook.com/rewoundclothing/

      It’s been lovely to chat with you, Ellie and I also share your passion for boots! 😊

      Linda x

      All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Ellie Jaffa/Rewound Clothing

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      An Interview With Grams28

      The “Man Bag” is currently experiencing a revival as a practical and useful item for the man about town. Menswear brand, Grams28, has just released its Sling Bag collection proving that not only that man bags are practical but are also a fashion statement. I spoke to Benjamin Chan, of Grams28 to find out more…. Hi Benjamin and welcome …

      Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Benjamin, co-founder and principal designer at GRAMS28. I was born in Hong Kong but I travel often to the UK for work. I really enjoy my daily coffee(s), going on drives, and working on new designs. I’m definitely a night owl, but I try to make the most out of daytime too. 

      What inspired the launch of Grams28?

      GRAMS28 is a brand of creations that I myself would enjoy, and that I think others would benefit from. I was looking for bags and accessories that were both luxurious and functional at the same time, and came up with almost nothing. I wanted to bridge the gap between luxury design and quality and practicality with GRAMS28, and this philosophy continues to fuel our new designs and product development.

      Have you always had an interest in fashion designing or did you have other career plans whilst growing up? 

      Not necessarily fashion design, but I’ve always been invested in learning about and perfecting design. Growing up in an environment where I was exposed to concepts of architecture and product design at a young age, it always felt like a natural development for me. I think the final push that I had to grow into this role was discovering my own passion for creating something better than what already exists. 

      I’m interested in your brand name – Grams28 – why did you specifically pick that name? Were there any other contenders?

      GRAMS28 comes from two elements, the first one being 21 Grams, a film. The name of the film comes from the idea that a soul weighs 21 grams, which we wished to incorporate since we believe that every thoughtfully crafted and handmade product that we offer has a soul. Each creation provides something unique to its owner. We also hope that our products will be able to accompany our customers throughout their days and prove useful 7 days a week – thus the additional 7, which adds up to GRAMS28. The number itself in our name was something we thought quite a lot about, so the other contenders were all variations on a similar theme.
      GRAMS28 comes from two elements, the first one being 21 Grams, a film. The name of the film comes from the idea that a soul weighs 21 grams, which we wished to incorporate since we believe that every thoughtfully crafted and handmade product that we offer has a soul. Each creation provides something unique to its owner. We also hope that our products will be able to accompany our customers throughout their days and prove useful 7 days a week – thus the additional 7, which adds up to GRAMS28. The number itself in our name was something we thought quite a lot about, so the other contenders were all variations on a similar theme.

      Every product has a code embossed in white – is this just a trendy emblem or do the codes have some significance?

      The codes are a distinctive part of our products – but more than that, it is part of our commitment to transparency and letting our customers know exactly what they are buying. Each code is made of three sets of numbers that corresponds to information about the material and origin of the product. We hope that through this, our buyers can feel at ease purchasing, using, and getting to know our creations. 

      The man bag has had a recent revival and you have quite a collection. What designs/ products are most popular amongst your customers at the moment? Do you have a favourite item from your collection? 

      The 157 Essential Sling has been a dark horse in our collection and has been garnering a lot of attention, especially from fashion enthusiasts. As for me, I’ve been really enjoying using our 132 Essential Case Pro. I’m really proud of this product, since it’s elegant in design and effective in organisation. 

      What are the main features a customer would expect from buying one of your man bags?

      Since we deeply value the balance between aesthetics, design and function, customers can expect to find smart organisation in all of our bags. We also only choose the best quality materials available to us, which is why you’ll find that we only use full-grain leather sourced from Italy. Opposed to other types of leather like top-grain leather or even PU leather, full-grain leather is extremely durable and can last for many decades if handled with proper care. 

      Founded in Asia, are your items available to purchase worldwide?

      Absolutely – we ship internationally from our independent online storefront. We’ve also recently launched a pop-up brick-and-mortar storefront in London in the UK, so locals are very welcome to come visit.

      Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

      I’ve been wearing a lot of COS lately, they have a lot of great stylish yet versatile items. I also always carry my GRAMS28 backpack, which will absolutely be coming back to our lineup soon – if it hasn’t already by the time of this publication.

      Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

      That’s quite the difficult question – I have my eye on Club Monaco’s store at the moment. I also regularly browse the New Norm Magazine for new inspiration and ideas. 

      What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

      I always feel drawn to other up-and-coming brands that have a meaningful vision. I’m looking forward to getting something from GREATS, a Brooklyn-founded sneaker brand, soon. Their Royale collection is definitely on my wish list.

      Boots or Shoes?

      Why not both? Style is your unique expression. 

      For pinning later

      Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc

      Check us out at grams28.com! Ships internationally, and we have a lifetime warranty on all our products.

      Thank you Benjamin! What a lovely collection!

      Linda x

      All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Benjamin Chan (Grams28).

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      An Interview With Cliff Beach

      My guest this week is the groovy American musician, Cliff Beach, who has just published his book ”Side Hustle & Flow” which chronicles his music career journey as well as giving readers a detailed and realistic approach to how people can run their passion projects alongside the day job. And Cliff certainly knows his stuff – he is a successful musician but his full time day job is actually VP of Digital & Operations with online beauty company, BeautyTap. So, how does he do it all? I caught up with Cliff recently to find out… Hi Cliff, and welcome…

      Hi! I am a musician and author based in Los Angeles, CA. I have a 10-piece funk band which performs regularly in Southern California and toured the West Coast this year.

      Your book, “Side Hustle & Flow” is a detailed & realistic approach to how you can successfully run your passion projects alongside your day job, as well as providing practical productivity ideas and real-life techniques. What was the initial inspiration for writing this book?

      It was my bucket list, pandemic project. Originally the book was titled “From Full to Fulfilled” as I wanted to learn why some people had full lives that were full of busyness, and some had fulfilled lives that were about their business. As it progressed, I realized that I had inadvertently curated my life to be able to work full-time and work on my side hustles full time by becoming very good at goal setting and time-management.

      I loved the questions at the end of each chapter – they really helped to frame idea and to sort out priorities – and it made it easier to feel that having a successful side hustle is certainly achievable! What do you feel is the biggest hurdle people face when trying to run their passion/side hustle alongside their day job?

      First, many people do not think it is achievable, because they have an all or nothing mindset or have self-limiting beliefs or have never learned how to make and set goals. The biggest hurdle is facing your fears. Fears are triggered by anxiety and stress that set in, and we don’t want to look foolish or fail publicly so we talk ourselves out of it. I am trying to live by a rule “Love the idea for 5 mins” that I learned from Mel Robbins because often in life we kill our own ideas before we even have time to believe it could be possible. If you try, you might, achieve it but if you don’t try, you won’t achieve it.

      Were there any aspects of writing “Side Hustle & Flow” that surprised you, either by being harder or easier to write about than you expected?

      The writing of at least the first draft moved right along, but it was the ten rounds of editing that almost killed me. I never thought I would hate my own ideas or reading my own words, and now that I have done the audiobook it was torture all over again, but once you have some distance from it, you get graduation goggles on and think ‘it’s not so bad.’ I didn’t know how much I didn’t know about the English language until my editors humbled me in the process. But it did make the book better each time, it is a labor of love.

      Your full-time day job is VP of Digital & Operations with online beauty company Beautytap. Do you feel that your side hustles/passions – music, TEDX speaker, Toastmaster, author – have helped you to be productive in your day job too? If so, in which ways?

      Yes, I think many firms should think more intrapreneurial. Just today I interviewed a person for a job at our firm and they expressed that outside of their normal work they owned a few Boba tea shops in LA, which was very impressive to me. Without telling me I can understand that for a person to work and have a side hustle and manage not, 1 or 2 but 3 locations, plus other endeavors, that person is a go-getter, that person wants to continually improve, and they can set goals and time manage while dealing with a high level stress. I’d take a person with soft skills and hustle any day over someone who looks good on paper. They used to say the proof is the pudding, but I say the proof is in the output. What your produce matters.

      What attracted you to the role of Toastmaster?

      I learned Warren Buffet displays no degrees on his wall, only a public speaking certificate. I think people think they speak well but can still improve, while others are afraid to speak in public. Effective communication is what changes someone from good to great and not just at work and career but in interpersonal relationships. In the world of texting and shorthand, people are not using as many words, and we have a more passive than explicit and direct nature when we speak now. In Toastmasters practicing persuasive, humorous, impromptu, and succinct speeches have helped me immensely, by having a warm, supportive environment to practice and a methodology that has evolved over the past 90+ years to be tried and true. 

      Music also plays a very big part of your life – having a hit song “Confident”; winner of 2 Global Music Awards and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize; House-band leader for Josh Gates Tonight on Discovery Channel; and host of Deeper Grooves on 88.5FM KCSN; plus, a spell on “American Idol”. So, growing up, did you want to have a career in writing or in music or did you actually have other career aspirations?

      When I was young, I wanted to be a chef. I used to love watching cooking shows. I almost became a doctor, but I decided last minute to go to Music Conservatory at Berklee instead. It worked out in the end though I do love to cook, I can’t stand the sight of blood.

      Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book?

      I used to read a lot of books, but I am more into audio books and book summaries now. I read mostly self-help. I love Tim Ferris, Tim Robbins, Jim Rohn, Les Brown, Zig Ziglar Brian Tracy and more, but mostly I read Success Magazine, which is all substance and no fluff and over 100+ years old.

       Is “Side Hustle & Flow” available to purchase worldwide?

      Yes, on Eyewear Publishing, it is available worldwide in hard cover first edition and will soon be available on audio and eventually digital.

      Have you got a passion project bucket list of activities you would love to try but haven’t as yet?

      Yes, I am working on a lot of music projects at the moment, one more contemporary project, three jazz projects, a soul project and possibly a blues project. I created a legacy document at 30 almost 10 years ago on my first ep info and beyond and now I am looking to plan and plot out the next decade. I said I would make ten albums in 10 years, and I have done almost that in nine so far.

      Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

      Depends on the day sometimes more casual, sometimes dressy but always in my brand/band colors which are red and black. I liked the White Stripes, who wore red and white so I chose red and black. Red is the first color you see, so it makes me stand out in a crowd.

      Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

      I shop a lot at Ross Stores and Amazon. I am not brand specific, and I do like a bargain. I never go to the mall.

      What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

      You can never have too many hats. I just got a wide brim red fedora, but I’d like a regular brim red fedora as well next purchase.

      Boots or Shoes?

      Shoes, because boots are too heavy and unlike the song they are not made for walking.

      For Pinning Later

      Links you would like to share e.g., website/facebook etc

      Sidehustleandflow.net

      Blackspringpressgroup.com

      Facebook.com/cliffbeachmusic

      Twitter.com/cliffbeachmusic

      Instagram.com/cliffbeachmusic

      https://Cliffbeachmusic.com

      https://Californiasoulmusic.com

      Red is one of my favourite colours to wear also – it definitely sends out a powerful message – and the colour suits you too, Cliff 😊

      Linda x

      Photo Credits: Sheldon Botler. Header photo: Linda Hobden. All photographs published with kind permission of Cliff Beach.

      Book cover credit: Image Stricken

      Thank you to Cliff Beach & Ben Cameron (Cameron Publicity & Marketing) for the review copy of ”Side Hustle & Flow”. All opinions expressed in this article are 100% my own.

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      An Interview With WAySTEaD

      All the way from Japan, my guest this week is Japanese photographer, Hideyuki Hayashi, and designer/founder of Japanese fashion label WAySTEaD. By upcycling hot air balloons, seatbelts, air bags and plastic bottles into trendy coats, jackets and t – shirts, Hideyuki’s mission is to transform waste all over the world into treasures through fashion design. Hi Hideyuki and welcome 😊

      Hello. This is Hideyuki Hayashi, the director of WAySTEaD and photographer from Tokyo, Japan.

      What inspired the launch of WAySTEaD?

      Firstly I launched my own small web media called TELLERS which represents the mixture of journalism and creativity. But I noticed that it was really tough to make profit out of it and will take quite long time to make it happen. So I decided to run another small business that related to the concept of media as a part of it. Since the concept of the media is something related to social issues and my background is fashion (my first career was as a fashion stylist) so the idea of up-cycling fashion popped up into my mind.

      Have you always had an interest in fashion designing or did you have other career plans whilst growing up?

      My first career was as a fashion stylist for around 10 years. Then I became a photographer but I kept my passion for fashion by taking fashion photos mainly. But I never imagined that I would be launching my own fashion label at that point.

      I’m interested in your brand name – WAySTEaD – why did you specifically pick that name? Were there any other contenders?

      The word is a mixture of Wasted and Way and Stead. I really can’t remember the process to deciding the brand name, but I do remember that I didn’t want to make it that clean and beautiful, so I decided to use the word “Waste”. I’m quite an intuitive person and the idea came suddenly and I decided to go with it quickly so I guess there weren’t other contenders.

      I love the ideas of upcycling Hot Air Balloons, seatbelts, airbags and plastic bottles into wearable items!  How difficult is it to upcycle these products ready to wear as clothing?  What processes are involved?

      It was absolutely tough to make it happen. There are lots of brands that make bags or shoes and other accessories, but making clothing is completely different. Basically these materials are really hard to be transformed. Sometimes they are stiff and unprintable. And clothing is basically composed of very complicated patterns (especially our brand’s one is crazy). So it was like sewing complicated clothing using leather bag machines. Also, they are not organised in rolls like ordinary fabrics sold in stores so it’s not suitable for mass production and it’s more like the couture process. So, some people might think that the price of our products is not reasonable but actually our cost ratio is higher than ordinary fashion labels.


      Do you have a favourite item from your collection?

      It is too hard to select which is my favourite, which is like selecting my favourite out of my kids. All of them were really hard to give birth to and I love all of them.

      As you are based in Japan,  are your items available to purchase overseas?

      Yes we are going to be taking pre-orders from international markets on our website soon. I also want to distribute them in retail stores overseas, so am looking for sales agency as well.

      You are also a photographer. What or who inspired you to take up photography? What genre of photography do you prefer to indulge in?

      I always been fascinated by fashion photography. I especially love producing and being inspired by something unseen. When I was working as a fashion stylist in Dubai, the owner of my rep, who was a photographer, suggested to me to start photography and lent me his camera. At that point I used to be working like creative director rather than stylist, so he thought that it would be better that I utilised my perspective into photography directly.

      If you could visit any place in the world to do a photography shoot, where would you go and why?

      I don’t have a certain place that I want to visit taking photos at this moment, but I guess I want nature to play a part.


      WAySTEaD’s mission is to transform waste all over the world into treasures through fashion design. So, you already have upcycled hot air balloons, seatbelts, airbags and plastic bottles –  what other items do you hope to upcycle in the future?

      Yes, I think I need to keep finding other wasted materials and creating new products. Now I’m trying to develop new stuff with LAN cables that has been carved out in production and more ideas to come. But the most crucial thing at this point is selling the products that I’ve already produced because inventing new products costs a lot and is time consuming.

      Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

      I mostly wear vintage or second hand clothing these days. I used to wear only black outfits before, but after I started to tackle this project, I found the joy of wearing colour, logos and graphics.

      Do you have any favourite shops or online sites? (Apart from your own)

      Not really, currently. I find American vintage stuff on ebay sometimes. I found an amazing Jeff Hamilton stadium jacket with a Mountain Dew logo patch on there recently.

      What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

      Vintage painter pants which are incredibly wide.

      Boots or Shoes?

      I used to be pretty much a boots person, but now I’m shoes person for these last few years. Simply because when I moved to Dubai, boots were too hot (I’ve still put on boots sometimes though).

      For Pinning Later

      Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about WAySTEaD.

      https://way-stead.com/

      https://www.instagram.com/waystead_official/

      https://www.hideyukihayashi.com/

      https://www.teller-s.com/

      Thank you Hideyuki !


      Linda x

      All photographs have been published with kind permission of Hideyuki Hayashi

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      Spotlight On Glamorous Gifts – Football Memorabilia

      Football season has started in the UK – soccer for my US friends – and if you are or you have a football fan or two in your life, football memorabilia such as a mug, print, book, is an ideal solution for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries or “Just Because”. Official football merchandiser, Glamorous Gifts, have a fabulous range of gifts from all the teams in all the Leagues … and I’m chatting to David, founder of Glamorous Gifts, about his business and his love of football. Hi David!

      Hi, I’m David and I live in Leyland, Lancashire (unfortunately) with my wife and my two sons, aged 11 and 8.

      What inspired the founding of your company, Glamorous Gifts?

      I was inspired into setting up Glamorous Gifts as I really wanted to run my own business. I also felt that I hadn’t really used my knowledge in computing that I’d gained at university so it was a chance to put those skills to use in building and maintaining a website. It’s also nice to be self-employed, though I do miss a regular salary and I hardly ever get a day off!

      Although you sell a variety of gifts, you are also an approved retailer of Official Licenced Football Club memorabilia.  What is currently the most popular type of football memorabilia and/or, dare I ask, the most popular football team?

      We do sell a variety of gifts, but our speciality is that we are an approved retailer for Official Licenced Football Club memorabilia.  This means that we are one of only a small number of retailers that have products featuring the official club badges and photos. Our mugs are the most popular product and there are many different designs. But we also see that our framed prints are popular as they make such unique presents for the recipient. We have all the top football clubs, though of course the big names such as Manchester United, Liverpool etc are the most sought after.

      I’m a Tottenham Hotspur fan, my husband & youngest sons support Ipswich. What’s your favourite football team?

      I’m a Liverpool fan, so I’m used to suffering and pain! It was a difficult slog for the most part of the last 30 years until things got much better last year with several trophies. Sadly, this season has seen a return to a more familiar pattern. 

      Can the football products be customised like your other gifts?

      All our personalised football products can be customised. Most can have a name added of course, but we also have many products where the recipient’s name and a chosen number appears on the teams’ shirt alongside the other real players in the dressing room or being held up by the teams’ manager. We also have a large range of non-personalised official merchandise.

      Do you cover other sporting memorabilia apart from football?

      We have a small range of rugby league clubs merchandise but we are hoping to expand this and other sports in the future.

      When deciding gifts to add to your  collections, do you select by what has proved popular with other gift outlets, current trends, customer requests, personal preferences or all of those things?

      We occasionally add new product designs, based on trends and events, such as when a team has just won a trophy (so no new Liverpool FC products recently sadly!)

      As Glamorous Gifts is based in the UK, are your products on the website available to purchase & ship worldwide? 

      Glamorous Gifts is based in the UK, where all the products are shipped from. At the current time we are not shipping abroad due to brexit uncertainties and delays caused by the current global situation. We will be looking to do this again once things have settled down.

      Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

      For me personally, I find I’m starting to settle into a typical middle aged fashion sense where I basically live in jeans the whole time and wear something as comfy as possible. No skin-tight clothing for me thank you!

      Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

      I typically shop at the likes of Next, Topman, Burton etc

      What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

      The next thing on my clothes wish list, is probably yet another pair of jeans!

      Boots or Shoes?

      I wear my trusty brown or black shoes pretty much everywhere, though summer gives me a chance to break out the Converse’s !

      For Pinning Later

      Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc so that readers can find out more about Glamorous Gifts

      The range of products I’ve mentioned can be seen at: https://glamorous-gifts.co.uk/collections/personalised-football . 

      Linda x

      All photographs have been published with kind permission of Glamorous Gifts – apart from the Pinterest/Featured Photo which is by Linda Hobden ©

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      Review: Engravers Guild

      DISCLAIMER ALERT: The Dents Leather Card Holder has been supplied and personalised by Engravers Guild for the purpose of this review however all opinions expressed are 100% mine.

      What can be nicer than a personalised gift of quality to give to your loved one at Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary, Valentines or just simply to say, “For You, with love”? Engravers Guild have a fine range of gifts that all benefit from bespoke personalisation and I was delighted to review their gifts and personalisation skills.

      THE BRAND

      Engravers Guild specialises in beautiful personalised gifts for both men and women, including watches, bracelets and wallets. It is a family business that can trace its heritage back to 1887, in Birmingham’s historic jewellery quarter. Today the company specialises in bespoke embossing – for the leather wallets, for example, they use only brass lettersets to create a crisp impression, giving the customer the option of infilling initials with gold foil, silver foil or blind. We found the embossing to be very neat and exactly what we wanted.

      THE PRODUCT

      The Engravers Guild website was very nice, clean and well ordered with a plethora of gifts on offer to cater for everybody’s whim. For this review, my husband chose the Dents Leather Card Holder in tan. The wallet was manufactured by Dents, suppliers to HRH the Prince of Wales … and Dents products have also been used by James Bond too! Dents were founded in England in 1777 and are well known for their leather products, notably gloves and wallets. Adam chose to have the wallet personalised in a “blind embossed” style, serif font. It was so, so simple to order the bespoke embossing – you could pick up to 4 initials; a choice of gold, silver or blind embossment; and two font choices. You are able to preview your embossment before making your final decision.

      The card holder itself simply oozes luxury but in an understated way that screams per class. A simple design in the finest leather, featuring 7 credit card pockets and a middle section for notes with a grosgrain lining. The holder measures 8cm by 10cm and is perfectly functional. The embossing was extremely neat and exactly what Adam had required. The presentation box was a classy touch too.



      THE COST & AVAILABILITY

      The Dents Leather Card Holder costs £29.95 which includes bespoke personalisation and presentation box. The card holder is available in tan, black, brown & blue. UK delivery: standard delivery is 3 – 5 days; with next day and 2 day delivery services available too. Unfortunately during the COVID-19 pandemic, international delivery has been temporarily stopped.

      For more information: https://www.engraversguild.co.uk

      For Pinning Later


      Thank you to Engravers Guild for allowing me the chance to review the holder – very impressed.

      Linda x

      All photographs are by Linda Hobden



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      Review: Trendhim

      Men’s jewellery is enjoying a bit of a revival, especially when it comes to bracelets. In the past, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, gold curb and rope chain necklaces and bracelets were in vogue. Chunkier the better, and yellow gold was the colour. I remember shopping in Corfu Town in 1992 and there were jewellery shops selling gold rope and curb chains by the length. Pop icons such as Wham enhanced this fashion for men. Spring forward to 2020 and men’s jewellery is enjoying popularity again but with a more subtle approach – beads and leather bracelets in blacks, browns, and other shades are worn either on their own or in a stack – teenagers, businessmen, musicians, young, old, bikers, cyclists… you get the drift. It’s a trend that you can wear on any occasion too. Having the chance to review a bracelet for Trendhim, a company based in Denmark – my husband Adam, a fan of leather bracelets, was pleased to take part, of course!

      Disclosure: I was gifted the “Lucleon Pleated Black Leather Bracelet ” in exchange for an honest review; all opinions expressed are entirely my ownand Adam’s imput too!

      For Pinning later

      SO WHO ARE TRENDHIM?

      Trendhim are a menswear/accessory brand founded in late 2007 by Sebastian and Mikkel. Their products are designed in Denmark and they currently offer 13 unique house brands and they launch several collections a year. In 2014, Trendhim expanded into Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands. At the end of February 2016, they had further expanded into 11 new countries, hired 43 translators as all 3000 of their products and website had to be translated into 8 different languages! In 2017, Trendhim became the 10th fastest growing company in Denmark. In 2018 Trendhim has opened up in 12 new countries including Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, NewZealand and the USA.

      THE WEBSITE

      https://www.trendhim.co.uk/

      https://www.trendhim.com

      Apart from the main Trendhim website, there are also dedicated websites for both the UK and USA. I looked at both the USA & UK websites and found them to be very slick, informative, good selection of products, easy to navigate and reasonable prices too. The pictures on the website are pretty much what you get. For the bracelets, selecting your size was pretty simple: you need to measure your own wrist – my husband’s was just under 7.5 inches. The sizes then go by wrist size and whether you want a tight fit or a loose fit. My husband opted for a loose fit, and it was true to size.

      Showing the fit of the Lucleon Pleated Black Leather Bracelet, in large (7.5 inches) loose fit.

      PACKAGING & DELIVERY

      There were two options of delivery available – standard delivery quoted as being 3 – 5 working days; and next day delivery by DHL. I did feel that the next day delivery charge to the UK was a bit steep at £12. The standard option was £4 ( in some cases free). If you are a regular reader of my reviews then you’ll know that I do have a wee browse in the reviews of brands left by customers. I am pleased to report that the majority of customers were very satisfied, but those that did have a grumble wasn’t anything to do with the products but delivery times. It was being reported of waiting up to 10 working days for items – it was around Christmas time so that might have disturbed the apple cart. My experience – I opted for the standard delivery; I received tracking details. I could see that the company had processed and despatched my order within 24 hours. And then Brexit happened. Things slowed down somewhere between Denmark & UK . I am not going to lie – I did get anxious. When it comes to deliveries I do like a quick service… but I waited 5 days…. the parcel came on working day 6. Not too horrendously late. Trendhim are working to try and improve delivery times, but unfortunately they are tied by the efficiency (or non efficiency) of the courier companies. My advice? Learn to chill! If you are ordering for a special occasion, order 2 weeks in advance or go for the next day service. The bracelet came in a strong “climate controlled Jiffy- type bag envelopealong with 2 yummy sherbet lemon sweets (gratefully devoured after the photo was taken). The bracelet was not in a box or pouch – there are available extras: personalised engraving, gift box, wrapping & gift tags, wooden jewellery stand – details on website.

      Inside the package
      The Envelope

      THE BRACELET

      Our chosen bracelet was the Trendhim brand Lucleon Pleated Black Leather Bracelet. As my husband Adam is a Leo, the brand’s lion logo instantly appealed. The bracelet is double thickness plait design – he already has a Pandora leather single plaited bracelet, so Trendhim’s bracelet compliments his “stack”. The clasp is magnetic, which is unusual – there is no locking mechanism although it is highly unlikely that the bracelet will come undone . The workmanship of the bracelet is really good – the leather is good quality and it is visually stunning.

      Close up of the plaited design
      The logo
      Magnetic clasp

      MY VERDICT

      Trendhim’s website and newsletters contain a wealth of information regarding how to care for your jewellery, how to wear bracelets, how to create your perfect stack, how to wear your bracelet with your watch…. signing up to the newsletter would also give you the chance to get free gifts with your orders such as socks etc .

      Adam has given the bracelet a score of 8/10 – it is very well made but his only fear was the clasp coming undone, although his fear might be unfounded.

      My thanks goes to Trendhim for gifting the beautiful bracelet for this review.

      Linda x

      All photographs are copyright © Linda Hobden




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      5 Reasons To Choose Wool

      There are so many textiles in the world, and when you pick out garments for your wardrobe, do you really think about the material? After reading the reports by clothing brand, Celtic & Co, about the impact that microplastics have on polluting our waterways and that every time we wash our synthetic made clothes thousands upon thousands are released into our waterways via the humble washing machine; I began to look into the benefits of natural textiles such as cotton and, as it is currently winter in the UK, wool. You can read my blogpost about Celtic & Co’s report HERE. There is certainly more to wool than meets the eye – and here are my 5 reasons to choose wool:


      Photo::Linda Hobden

      WOOL IS A NATURAL PRODUCT. Wool is renewable. Wool obviously comes from sheep, but also wool is obtained from other animals including alpaca, llama, camel, goat, yak, beaver, otter, rabbit…. Wool has many eco-advantages over synthetic materials, such as polyester, acrylic and nylon: synthetic fibres all derive from plastic and wool, unlike synthetic materials, is naturally flame retardant. It is the flame retardant properties that makes wool the choice material for garments made for firefighters and soldiers – also wool is a natural insulator and is breathable. Have you noticed that wool carpets are used on trains and planes too?

      WOOL IS RENEWABLE AND RECYCLABLE. When wool is disposed of, it naturally decomposes releasing valuable nitrogen-based nutrients into the ground. Recycled Wool is made by cutting or tearing apart existing wool fabric and then respinning the fibres, sometimes adding raw wool – this process was invented in West Yorkshire. It makes absolute sense to me to unravel old woollen items and respin or knit …

      Photo: Celtic & Co

      WOOL IS ODOUR RESISTANT. Wool clothing doesn’t smell, it doesn’t promote the growth of bacteria and is stain resistant too! Good news if you do perspire a lot, especially as wool is breathable so you don’t feel clammy. Wool doesn’t need to be washed as often as synthetic clothes – saving water, power, and you’re not releasing those microplastics into the environment either via your washing machine. Superwash wool ( or washable wool) technology first appeared in the early 1970s – this is wool that has been especially treated so that it is machine washable and may be tumble dried. So wool is even more convenient. According to Wikipedia, in 2007, a new wool suit was developed and sold in Japan that can be washed in the shower, dries off ready to wear within hours with no ironing required. The suit was developed using Australian Merino wool.

      WOOL LASTS. Fashions come and go, but wool garments are usually very classical in style. My navy blue wool coat has been in my wardrobe for well over 20 years, might even be nudging 30 years old – it is a classic style that hasn’t dated, it is still immaculate, it still fits and it is still very warm indeed. Wool garments may be more expensive than their synthetic counterparts, but they do tend to last longer.

      Wool clothing by Celtic & Co: Toscana Gilet, Flecked Funnel Neck Jumper; Aran Cable Beanie. https://celticandco.com

      WOOL IS MICRO-CLIMATIC. Wool is amazing! Wool can keep you warm in winter, and can actually keep you cool in summer! Wool has a natural high level of UV protection. That is why desert peoples, such as the Bedouins and Tuaregs, use wool clothes for their insulation properties. Wool fabrics have a greater bulk than other textiles, and they hold air, which in turn causes the fabric to retain heat. Weather and geographical locations do influence wool in terms of quality and type of fleece – for example, Welsh Mountain Sheep have fleeces that are strong and robust – as the animals have to endure harsh weather; Lowland sheep have fleece that is often softer and finer, which is perfect for blankets. Sheep are resilient animals and can thrive in the hardiest of places where other livestock struggle to survive and crops can’t be grown. No wonder wool is one of the oldest textiles in the world!

      For Pinning Later


      Thanks to Celtic & Co for their report on Synthetic v Wool; Wikipedia & MakeitBritish.co.uk for the facts about wool.
      Photographs are by Linda Hobden apart from the Celtic & Co photos that have been marked as such in the article

      Linda x

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      An Interview With Village Leathers

      Established in 1974 by Tony & Angie, Village Leathers is a small family-based business based in London that specialises in a wide range of belts, bags and accessories for both men and women. They began as street traders, growing to stores in Covent Garden, now online too. Although a lot of their styles are classics, their latest accessory ranges are very colourful and very much on trend. I caught up with Verity, part of “Team Village Leathers” to find out more about the very swish bags that she and the team make! Hi Verity!

      Hi! I’m Verity from Village Leathers, I’ve been working here for years and I’m part of the team who hand make our leather goods. Village Leathers is a family owned business which started out by selling handmade leather belts from a suitcase on the streets of London in 1974. Since then we’ve grown to have two small shops in Covent Garden’s Jubilee Market and more recently set up a website too. We’re still a small team with just 10 of us in total split between the shops and the studio where we produce leathers belts and accessories in small batches by hand.

      Starting life as street traders, progressing to shops in London’s Covent Garden (one of my favourite London spots) and now online – what challenges have you had to face (business or personal) in each selling arena, eg adapting to selling from a market stall to a shop environment or adapting to online technology etc?

      When we started selling online it was a big learning curve for us. We do all the photography and website maintenance in house so we had to learn a whole new skillset as well as keep up with the production of goods. It was challenging but such a brilliant experience. The other issue we face, which I know many small independent business’ struggle with, is online exposure. We’re a small fish in a big pond so competing with bigger brands was a little tricky at first, luckily our customers soon found us and valued our ethos. They recognise the craftsmanship and quality of materials we’ve sourced for our range of handmade goods. This means our customers can buy better products, fewer times, supporting the growing number of people trying to reign in overconsuming tendencies.

      As for our shops we’re having lots of fun at the moment redesigning the layout ready for a refit next year. As we are based in small shops offering a wide range of products and colourways showcasing all our designs is really important for us but can look a bit overwhelming to shop visitors. To make it a pleasure to shop with us we’ll be implementing sections and adding much more signage throughout the shop that communicates everything you’ll need to know about our leathers, sizing and collections. It’s quite an undertaking but it will make such a difference as I think it’s been about 15 years since the last one!

      I love the brightly coloured Leather Belt Bag – a sophisticated version of the bumbag/fanny pack! Your latest ranges, Chroma and Roam collections, are available in a stunning range of bright colours- Yellow, Red, Green, Sky Blue, Tangerine Orange – they are all simply gorgeous! However, what bags are proving popular amongst your customers so far this season? Is there a difference between the popularity stakes of items purchased from your shop and those purchased online?

      I’m so glad you like the Belt Bag, it’s new territory for us as we haven’t entered that market before but it was so nice to design such a contemporary product and the response so far has been really positive. Over this season we’ve definitely seen customers both instore and online being drawn to the more fruity and vibrant colours like the sunny yellow of the Chroma Shoulder Bag, zesty Orange Roam Clutch Bag and now that we’re entering Autumn we’re seeing the Tan, Olive and Grey colourways come into their own. In terms of bag design I think the Chroma Shoulder Bag has pipped it this season, it’s such a nifty little bag, ideal for days out and it looks stunning. With a simple silhouette and secure turnlock it means you can pair it with every outfit effortlessly. 

      In the shops we have a lot of people come in looking for a special gift to take back from London for their friends and family at home, that usually takes the form of something like a Roam Clutch Bag and matching zip purse. It’s so nice to see people really thinking about which colour or design their loved one will treasure the most. It’s only right they treat themselves to something as well for being so considerate! 

      Have you got any personal favourites?

      So, one of my favourite products we make sounds so basic but I get really excited telling people about it so here goes. It’s our Classic Black 1 1/4 Belt, the reason I love it is because it is the epitome of a wardrobe staple. I think everyone should own one. It’s made from delicious, thick Italian vegetable tanned leather. This kind of leather is made in the most eco friendly and natural ways by using tannins found in some plants and bark. It’s a very old artisanal process and only a small percentage of leather goods produced worldwide use veg tanned leather because it is slow to produce, therefore more expensive per foot. But, the quality of the leather is so high, rich in colour, supple and ages beautifully. We actually guarantee our Classic belts for 25 years, that’s how good it is, and what’s more is that at the end of it’s like the leather is biodegradable! The other great thing about this belt is that you can swap the buckles really easily to suit your outfit. And yes I have a favourite buckle – Westend Silver, its solid brass!

      Your company also offers a bespoke service. Have you had any bizarre bespoke requests?

      That’s such a great question! We’re often asked to tweak designs or emboss a meaningful date or name onto pieces to make them extra special. We once individually monogrammed some belts for a group of Groomsmen and one of their nicknames was ‘Snake’, I didn’t ask how he got that!

      We work closely with the theatre a lot too and we once had a project that required us to make a bumbag which could hold a cabbage…

      As you are based in London, are your products available to purchase overseas?

      Yes! Absolutely, we send our goods worldwide. It’s amazing to think there are people all over the world enjoying our products that were made in our little workshop. Recently we had a customer send us a picture of a Bag she’d picked up from us in Covent Garden in 1988, she’s been using it daily in Australia since then!

      When designing/producing products to add to your collections, do you take into account your own tastes, your customer base, current fashion trends, requests, vintage quality or bits of all those?

      All our designs must first meet our values; affordability and handcrafted quality married with classic and practical design. We have a core range of products which have remained practically unchanged for years and years. The idea is they are classic wardrobe staples that can be paired with lots of outfits, the perfect balance between form and function. We make them using highly efficient, time-tested leather crafting techniques so they can last and build patina as they are worn and used, this means the designs are  timeless, reasonably priced and of unparalleled quality. 

      Having this core range of classic products allows us to flex our creativity by designing small batches of seasonal products that consider customer needs and micro trends. A good example of this would be our Belt Bag or Hair on Hide Leopard Bag strap, as we manufacture the products ourselves we can make near instant tweaks based on customer feedback such as swapping a popper closure for a push lock on the Belt Bag. This means the customer gets exactly what they need and the design process is more collaborative. 

      When you are not making & selling bags and belts, what do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

      Well, as you can imagine we love to make stuff in our spare time but not always from leather. At the moment two of us are making patterns for some dungarees we’re hoping to have done by next summer if we can find the time. If we’re not working on craft projects we like to ride our bikes or enjoy some of the amazing exhibitions that are always going on in London. We love organising staff outings too as an excuse to enjoy some of the great restaurants around Covent Garden, most recently we went to Padella in London Bridge where we ordered two rounds of food.

      Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

      I opt for practical shoes that will protect my toes from any dropped tools or hammers in the workshop, that being said I want to feel chic and stylish at the same time so I’m usually rocking a pair of 1461 Doc Martens. We’re all big fans of Luck and Yak trousers and dungarees which are so comfy to wear at home or work and made in an ethical way. Outside the workshop, when we’re not going to get filthy and covered in thread or leather we really like to dress up and wear our own creations. I go for minimal, comfortable silhouettes made from organic cotton and linen. At the moment my favourite colours are rust and cobalt blue, I’m lusting after a lot of L.F Markey designs at the moment. Obviously all our outfits are accessorised with Village Leathers bags and belts.

      Do you have any favourite shops or online sites? (Apart from your own!)

      As a fan of timeless designs I really love having a look around Labour and Wait in London. They offer amazingly curated homewares, I don’t know how they’ve found them but they stock loads of independent makers from all over who make beautiful and functional items that bring me joy. When I’m thinking of adventuring I like to browse Patagonia, I really relate to their brand values and the latest “Black Hole’ collection of bags is amazing as its made from recycled bottles. Online I love looking at Cool Machine Shop for their brilliantly fun, contemporary  and colourful offerings. Locally to me in Crystal Palace you’ll always find me in Lowie or Elkins for their gorgeous womenswear, books and homeware. 

      What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

      I’m saving up for a Rust corduroy Boilersuit I’ve got my eye on. Effortless, chic and functional, what more do you need? 

      Boots or Shoes?

      Shoes – simply because I’m too impatient to bother undoing the laces on boots and nearly cause myself an injury pulling them on and off.

      Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Village Leathers.

      https://www.villageleathers.com

      @villageleathers on Instagram 

      http://instagram.com/villageleathers

      https://facebook.com/villageleathers

      For Pinning Later

      Thank you Verity for your fabulous insight into the company you work for. I love the quality of your products and your small Aladdin’s Cave of a shop in Covent Garden is certainly worth checking out!

      Linda x

      All photographs are published with kind permission of Village Leathers.

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      Review: Rydale Boots

      DISCLAIMER ALERT: The boots have been supplied by Rydale for the purpose of this review however all opinions expressed are 100% mine.

      September! The start of my favourite season of the year – Autumn. Living in the south east of England, I love the warm, sunny days and the cooler nights; I love the changing colours of the countryside; but I think my favourite reason of all is that it heralds the start of “boot” season! I love my boots but I never feel comfortable wearing boots in summer – I do have an open toe heeled pair of boots but it isn’t the same. I like to wear my thick tights or socks with a pair of comfortable boots. So, I was so excited to receive a pair of uber cool suede chelsea style boots to review from outdoor country clothing and footwear company, Rydale.

      Ladies Kirby II Heeled Suede Chelsea Boots in Brown/Plum

      Rydale is a family company established in 1954 by John Nichols and now it is in the 3rd generation, still based in the heart of Yorkshire. John Nichols was inspired by a true passion for the country lifestyle and today Rydale’s ranges of outdoor country clothing, footwear and accessories for men, women and children are truly impressive. Their website features traditional wax jackets, tweed coats, flat caps, jodhpurs, riding boots alongside skinny jeans and, my favourite, the Chelsea Boot. Rydale has invested heavily into waste management and recycling. To offset their small carbon footprint, Rydale have created a woodland and have so far planted over 10,000 trees. All Rydale’s products are inspired and designed in Yorkshire – with an emphasis on quality, reliability and style…. so did the Chelsea Boots live up to the hype??

      What a silly question! They were all that I hoped and more! Let’s look more closely at Rydale’s claims…

      1. Quality. These boots are made of the finest soft suede leather fabric and the comfortable faux leather padded interior gave the boots an almost slipper feel. I took the boots for a day and night continuous “road test” – walking around villages and fields during the day and a restaurant meal in the evening. As the heel is only low, it came as no surprise that my feet didn’t ache. What really impressed me was that they felt like slippers and weren’t clunky or cumbersome; they didn’t rub my heel nor squashed my toes; and the boot has a slightly narrow fit which suits me as I have narrow feet and am forever slipping and sliding in standard/wider footwear. 10/10

      2. Reliability. Obviously they are suede boots so not suitable for wearing in wet or snowy conditions. Rydale recommend cleaning with a suede protector spray. The boots have a rubber sole – I can only presume that they will be ok on an icy surface – but temperatures here are hovering around 25°C at the moment it was hard to road test the slipability factor.

      3. Style. These boots definitely have the style X factor! These boots are an updated version of the original Kirby boots – which are also pretty stylish – and the colourways on offer are pretty scrumptious. My pair are in brown/plum; the other colours in the Kirby II style are Dark Green/Plum and Navy/Plum. I do so love the contrasting elasticated panel – the Plum colour is so on trend this year. 10/10

      WEAR WITH…..

      I like to wear mine with skinny jeans – in denim of all colours. Rydale do a range of skinny jeans – “Portia” – in a variety of colours from navy denim to berry. I particularly liked the Chelsea boots with Rydale’s dark brown jodhpurs – made a refreshing change from wearing them with traditional riding boots. Don’t be scared of pairing these boots with thick tights and a short tweed skirt; or embrace the current boho trend and wear with a long flowing 1970s style dress …. the possibilities are endless.

      Like the boots?

      Check out Rydale’s website and feast your eyes on some lovely footwear and clothing. https://www.rydale.com

      Delivery of items are quick and postage costs are pretty reasonable too – I especially appreciate the fast delivery option of 1-2 working days – I get impatient waiting for goods!! The good news for my international friends is that Rydale ship to a wide range of destinations in Europe, America and beyond.

      For pinning later

      Thank you Rydale for introducing me to your gorgeous footwear range! I’m in love!!

      Linda x

      All photographs are by Linda Hobden.

      Photos and Article copyright © LindaHobden.

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