Latest news with #outfits
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Three savvy money tips to keep down the costs of your kids' prom
SCHOOL proms have become a formal and fancy affair for leaving pupils. But bigger bashes have meant growing costs for parents. Here's how to keep a lid on your budget. . . EARLY OUTFITS: Looking for outfits in advance gives you plenty of time to find a formal outfit for your child. Renting a dress or suit is typically cheaper than buying new. You could try John Lewis rental, where dress hire starts at less than £30. Suit jacket are available from around £33. By Rotation is another rental app, and H&M also does rental on select collections. You can get great bargains through second-hand clothing apps, especially if looking in advance. Scour Facebook marketplace or Vinted and eBay. Search by brands and be specific as possible to find what you want. RAD RIDE: Arriving at the prom in a flash ride is all part of the experience. Try asking for a favour from any friends or family with a cool car to see if they'll play chauffeur. Book the Lux ride through taxi app Uber for another option. Only selected top cars such as Mercedes, BMW and Jaguars will come through the service. You can expect a ride that would usually cost around £10 to come in at around £30 instead when booked on the spot. Find a friend to refer you if you haven't used the app before and you'll save up to £5 your first five rides. GLAM UP: Getting hair and make-up done is a fun way to get ready for a prom. Why not watch a few make-up tutorials to try your hand at applying all the beauty essentials? Just get in a few practice sessions beforehand. Or on the day, head to a department store where make- up counters are often able to apply make-up professionally. Ask around at hairdressers if they need models for up-dos for a discounted service. You may be lucky and book one on the day of the event. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. 7 Deal of the day KEEP kids happy all summer with this 12ft trampoline, down from £169.99 to £135.99 at Wilko. SAVE: £34 Cheap treat 7 UPGRADE your coffee to a Nescafe Aero mocha, £2.20 for seven sachets, from Iceland. Top swap 7 TUCK into Ben & Jerry's cookie dough ice cream, £5.55 from Sainsbury's. Or try Asda's loaded cookie dough ice cream, £1.98. Little helper SMARTEN up tired clothing with the Minky bobble remover, down from £10 to £7 at Dunelm. Shop & save SHOW you're stylish and on trend with this polka-dot dress, down from £31.99 to £23.99 at New Look. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.
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Travel + Leisure
22-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I'm a Professional Packer—and These Are the 5 Biggest Packing Mistakes to Avoid
For years, packing was my biggest travel stressor. I'm the type of person who always wants to have the right outfit for every moment, and I love having options—both of which don't exactly translate to packing lightly and efficiently. There were countless trips where I either hated all the outfits I brought with me or I'd find myself lugging around more (and heavier) bags than was necessary. However, as I got older and started to travel more often, I knew it was time to actively hone my packing skills. Gone would be the days of checking a bag just because I couldn't decide which combination of pants and tops to pack. Never again would I start filling my suitcase without having a rough idea of what I wanted or needed to bring. So I began to experiment with various packing techniques—folding versus rolling your clothes. I'd spend hours scouring the internet for outfit inspiration ahead of my travels. I also began to prep my own packing lists, outlining my ideal wish list for trips and then narrowing it down to the essentials. I've since learned there's no easy hack to packing well. Sure, there are best practices and several major mistakes to avoid, but it's rarely a quick, mindless task. If you're someone, like me, who genuinely cares about the outfits you wear while traveling, packing is a process that requires forethought and planning. It takes strategic thinking, matching up your destination, the weather, and your itinerary with the contents of your suitcase, duffel, or backpack. It's for that very reason I started a packing newsletter, sharing the packing lists I've created and used myself. Because trust me when I tell you, going in with a solid packing game plan almost always results in lighter bags, less stress, and significantly fewer 'I have nothing to wear' moments while traveling. While packing lists are my top recommendation if you want to become a better packer, I'd also suggest avoiding some of the biggest (and most common) packing mistakes below—all of which I've either experienced through trial and error or heard about from fellow travelers. Women's clothes folded over the bed, ready to store in the suitcase. Preparing luggage for me, packing became significantly less time-consuming as I began to curate a wardrobe full of high-quality basics, otherwise known as a capsule wardrobe. I found jeans that felt appropriately casual, but could be elevated with a simple slingback, a dressier top, and some jewelry. I invested in neutrals and timeless styles that I wouldn't want to donate in a year or two. I started focusing on quality over quantity and adamantly refused to pack anything that wasn't comfortable and aligned with my personal style. Now with a closet of versatile, all-season pieces, I face less decision paralysis when I'm packing. I also know most of my clothes will, for the most part, coordinate and complement each other, so I don't feel the need to pack extra 'just in case' tops or dresses. Packing cubes were one of the very first tools I fell in love with at the beginning of my quest to become a better packer. Even if I'm just packing for a short weekend, I'll use the cubes to organize my clothing by outfit or type. It's an approach that not only helps me visualize what I'm packing, but it also forces me to make the tough decisions. For instance, if that second sweater or third pair of pants doesn't fit in the cube, it's probably best to leave it at home. While some travelers prefer compression packing cubes—the ones that use a zipper system to cut down on bulk—I also like to use regular packing cubes for organizational purposes. I'll also bring an extra one to hold dirty laundry during my trip; that way, I can easily transfer it from my suitcase to my laundry basket when I'm unpacking. I might try to go carry-on-only, but that doesn't mean I'm going to use the smallest bag possible; I want to use all of the real estate I'm allotted. That said, I've made it my mission to find the most spacious, durable carry-on suitcase on the market. After testing carry-on models from a number of luggage brands (including those in the luxury space), I can definitively say that the Away Bigger Carry-on is my favorite. According to the brand, the suitcase is designed to hold between four and seven days' worth of clothing, a measurement I can confirm is accurate. Whenever I travel with another carry-on, I always struggle to fit everything. Lindsey Shorter Traveling with a carry-on doesn't necessarily mean you just have one bag to fit everything (although exact rules may differ by airline and seat class). I'm a huge proponent of the personal item bag, as it can hold some of your bulkier or more rigid belongings that take up too much space in your suitcase. I like to use mine to carry my toiletries, an extra pair of shoes, my laptop, and any other items I might want to have easy access to, like chargers, lip balm, and even a smaller purse. Like suitcases, I've tested a variety of different styles to find what I deem the very best personal item bag. Most recently, I've been converted to this Calpak backpack; it can hold just as much as my carry-on (and still fit under the plane seat in front of me). Travel cosmetics kit with bottles, pills and cosmetics on I earned my 'professional packer' title, I would opt to check a bag simply because I didn't want to deal with my toiletries. The thought of transferring my shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and other serums and moisturizers into travel-sized containers was daunting, and I chose to avoid it rather than find a solution. But when I took the time to actually figure out a strategy, it quickly became apparent this didn't need to be the most painful part of packing. Now, I keep a stash of travel-sized toiletries, like contact solution and toothpaste, on hand at all times, and I use Cadence Capsules to carry liquids that require smaller containers. I even have a few organizer drawers that I use to hold any sample-sized products I get from Sephora or pick up at hotels. Whenever it's time to pack my toiletry bag, I can just grab and go—no checked bag required.
Vogue
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
9 Colorful Outfits That Won't Intimidate The Row Evangelists
These are neutral outfits with a point of view, and there's a look to get inspired by for every occasion. Ahead, discover and shop nine colorful ensembles for those ready to dip into a new palette. An Avocado Green Shirt, Pale Blue Bag, and Pleated Trousers Summer's coolest outfit is a familiar one, simply executed in a novel color palette: avocado green, pale blue, and bright white. A Pink Button-Down and Zesty Extras The multi-colored straps of these woven sandals and a pop of orange raffia are all you'll need to invigorate a weekend look compromised of a pink button-down and white poplin short. A Bright Red Top and Striped Pants For relaxed days spent either indoors or outside, comfortable staples like Flore Flore's cherry tank and Leset's striped trousers will look intentional but feel like pajamas (in the best way). A Simple White Tank and Sheer Midi Skirt Bring a sheer midi skirt into off-duty territory by adding a ribbed jersey tank top and thong sandal. A black woven bag anchors the look. A Butter Yellow Maxi Dress and Eclectic Accessories Butter yellow is the new cream! Keep it soothing on the eyes with brown accessories, and a serpentine-colored beaded necklace. Julietta Thea sterling silver agathe beaded necklace $295 MODA OPERANDI Le Monde Beryl kitten heel strappy 50 sandal $705 FWRD A Chocolate Brown Tee and Navy Midi Skirt Navy is a neutral in its own right—a deep brown T-shirt, padded flip-flops, and east-west bag strikes the ultimate balance of dressed up and dressed down. A Little Black Dress With a Flash of Red Pair a babydoll dress with red, wrap-around sandals and a pearl necklace for an instantly cool date night look. A Checked Dress With a Bright Woven Bag Embrace the effortlessness of the season with Brandon Maxwell's shirred dress. Add a woven green bag from Dragon Diffusion, and modern jewels to balance out the whimsy. Brandon Maxwell The Josie shirred striped cotton midi dress $1,680 NET-A-PORTER Dragon Diffusion Santa croce small tote $375 SHOPBOP A Playful Tank and White Midi Skirt A 3D fuchsia flower brings a spirited energy to a white poplin skirt and wedge thong sandal.
