DELBOY?

November 12, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

One of the many reasons as to why I love the Winter season so much is predominantly due to the style and fashion. I find that all of the clothing both online and in stores seem to be much more polished, sleek and really allow you to experiment with different styles whilst keeping warm! Especially with coats... I managed to find this gorgeous Shearling coat from LoveTheSales and what drew me to the coat was how bold and statement grabbing it was!

I have found this coat to be incredibly versatile and can be worn with anything, head to toe in black, or with a smart shirt and trousers. For this shoot, I opted for a white turtleneck sweater with some light grey trousers and white trainers. I wanted to keep the look very fresh and show a different side to dressing for Winter as opposed to the standard dark, heavy colours!

Myself and Matt McCormick shot this look on a rooftop in Leeds and I have to say, once again, I am in love with how these turned out! Very different to my previous post with the Moss Bros coat, and I have been told by various people that this coat is very 'Delboy' from Only Fools & Horses... Do you agree?

WHAT I WORE:

ASOS | Shearling Coat

ASOS | Weekday Trey Turtleneck Jumper

TOPMAN | Light Grey Marl Skinny Fit Suit Trousers

NEW LOOK | White Canvas Trainers

Would you wear this coat? What are your thoughts to it? Have you shopped with any of the brands mentioned before? If so, what did you buy? Do you like the images we took? Let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don’t forget to click that like button!

KEEPING WARM WITH MOSS BROS

November 07, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

Moss Bros are best known for their premium tailoring such as their slick and suave coats alongside their luxurious suits, all of which are designed and tailored to the highest quality.

I had recently been contacted by Moss Bros, and was given the opportunity to select a new coat to feature. Naturally I was ecstatic and I went along to the Harrogate Boutique to select one and was stuck between a simple, plain grey coat, or this Moss London Slim Fit POW Check Overcoat which is ultimately what I chose in the end.

I chose the Moss London Slim Fit POW Check Overcoat because it was different to any coat I had had before, and I loved the speckled effect with the different colours all woven together and I particularly liked how the textured wool felt. I also felt that it was versatile and true to form, it fit like a glove. Myself and Matt McCormick went to Roundhay Park in Leeds to shoot this and this is without a doubt one of my favourite shoots! I loved the different lighting that we got to play around with and I am thoroughly pleased with the results.

WHAT I WORE:

MOSS BROS / Moss London Slim Fit POW Check Overcoat

NEXT / Burgundy Roll Neck Jumper

ASOS / Black Skinny Jeans

JEFFERY WEST / Helter Skelter Chelsea Boots

Have you shopped with Moss Bros before? If so, what did you buy? Do you like my choice of coat? Do you like the images we took? Let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don’t forget to click that like button!

WINTER FRAGRANCES 2017

November 02, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

It is that time of year again where I bring you a few of 'Must Have' fragrances of the season, and in this Winter Guide I will be covering the key aspects of all fragrances, and telling you why you these are serious contenders this Winter!

The key aspects I will be covering are;

Notes featured within the fragrance
Longevity
Sillage
& my overall experience and thoughts on the fragrance itself!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BYKILIAN - SINGLE MALT

Top Notes: Plum
Middle Notes: Wheat
Base Notes: Cedar, Vanilla, Tolu Balsam

I had the pleasure of visiting the ByKilian Boutique earlier this year in London and I vividly remember 'Single Malt' being my favourite due to its powerful sillage and how the fragrance really did capture the essence of Malt Whisky!

Single Malt begins with a strong and fruity opening which then dries down into a deeper, rich scent which for me begins to fade slightly but seems to be powerful to others around me due to many compliments even hours after wearing this with the sillage being heavy and the projection being loud!

I would recommend wearing Single Malt in the evening/nighttime as it is bold and sensual, and will definitely get you noticed.

You can purchase ByKilian - Single Malt here.

EMPORIO ARMANI - STRONGER WITH YOU

Top Notes: Cardamom, Pink Pepper, Violet Leaf, Mint
Middle Notes: Sage, Melon, Pineapple
Base Notes: Vanilla, Chestnut, Cedar, Amberwood

Armani's newest fragrant pairing offers two different scents designed for those which are equal in strength and come in the form of Stronger With You (Men's) and Because It's You (Women's).

For my Winter Guide I will be talking about the Stronger With You fragrance! The fragrance opens up with a sweet burst of the Vanilla note. Whilst I found the fragrance to be a clean, well rounded fragrance, I did find it to be a little synthetic and the fragrance quickly faded from my skin.

I would recommend wearing this during the daytime and I found that the sillage was medium and its projection medium.

You can purchase Emporio Armani - Stronger With You here.

ACQUA DI PARMA - EBANO

Top Notes: Petitgrain, Bergamot, Resins, Red Pepper
Middle Notes: Ebony, Honey
Base Notes: Patchouli, Vetiver

A woody and smokey fragrance that feels like an old classic! Ideal for the colder, Winter periods.

The opening of Ebano opens with the strong note of Honey which becomes more spicy with the Red Pepper note kicking in and the dry down feels woody and rich.

The longevity lasted for up to 5 hours on my skin and its sillage was medium to heavy. Not too overpowering and is best suited for the evening.

You can purchase Acqua Di Parma - Ebano here.

PACO RABANNE - PURE XS

Top Notes: Ginger, Green Accord, Thyme
Middle Notes: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Leather, Liquor
Base Notes: Cedar, Myrrh, Sugar

Pure XS by Paco Rabanne opens up with the sweetness of the Vanilla note which quickly fades down into a smokey and spicy fragrance.

The longevity of Pure XS was slightly disappointing as it only lasted for up to 3/4 hours upon my skin, however, I gained a few compliments from having worn this! I would recommend wearing Pure XS during the nighttime and its sillage was light-medium.

A little side note, the packaging of Pure XS comes in a divine suede effect box making it the ultimate luxury present!

You can purchase Paco Rabanne - Pure XS here.

CALVIN KLEIN - OBSESSED

Top Notes: Grapefruit, Sichuan Pepper, Cardamom
Middle Notes: Cedar, Labdanum, Leather
Base Notes: Black Vanilla Husk, Patchouli, Ambroxan

One of my personal favourites! Fronted by the iconic Kate Moss shot by Mario Sorrenti, Obsessed is rather similar to the Armani Campaign in that there are two versions of Calvin Klein; Obsessed. One for the men, and the other for women.

Obsessed is one of my personal favourites as I love how sweet and sensual the scent is! The fragrance opens up with the Grapefruit note which remains prominent throughout and during the dry-down, the scent becomes musky and spicy.

In terms of the longevity, Obsessed lasted on my skin for up to 5/6 hours and the sillage was light-medium. I would recommend wearing this during the daytime leading into the early evening.

You can purchase Calvin Klein - Obsessed here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you have enjoyed my Winter Fragrances Guide and I would be very interested to know if any of your favourites have made it into this Guide! I do hope that is has helped and informed you on making some choices when it comes to updating and refreshing your fragrance choices, and perhaps it's given you some thoughts on a potential Christmas Gift?

Have you tried any of these fragrances that I have featured within my Winter Guide? If so, which ones have you tried? Which is your favourite? Least favourite? Which worked for you, and didn't work so much? Do let me know, as I would love to hear from you and don't forget to click that 'like' button down below!

HALLOWEEN BOO'S

October 26, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

TRICK OR TREAT?

Following on from my previous post, where choosing between the options of staying in or going out this Halloween weekend, I offered up the option of staying in to devour the spooky treats from the Hotel Chocolat; Little Monsters Halloween Hamper. So for this post, I will be tempting you with more delicious treats, only this time they come in the form of 'Halloween themed' drinks and will be the perfect way to accompany and kickstart your Halloween night out!

I received three sample bottles, all from 31Dover.com which if you've been following my blog for a while now, you will now that because of 31Dover I have managed to find and try out many new drinks which have now become firm favourites of mine, such as the Kraken Rum!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEADHEAD RUM

Without a doubt, my favourite drink out of the three! Perhaps I'm a little biased as I am a big Rum drinker as it is... A spicy and rich Rum which is a great addition to cocktails and I used this Rum alongside Coke. I found the design of the bottle really creepy and was a definite head turner!

OUTERSPACE VODKA

A five time distilled Vodka with a smooth and clean taste which comes in the form of a unique and instantly recognisable, Alien Head. I found the design to be really striking and I mixed the Vodka with Lemonade to keep it refreshing!

CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA

Similar to the Outerspace Vodka in the sense that it felt smooth down my throat and I mixed this with Lemonade. I also love the design of the bottle!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When buying your chosen drinks from 31Dover.com, they offer Next Day Delivery ensuring that you get your drinks in time... For more drinks and a wide selection, click here!

Have you ordered from 31Dover before? Have you tried any of the drinks that were mentioned? Which is your favourite alcoholic beverage? Don't forget to hit the like button down below, and leave me a comment to reply to!

HOTEL CHOCOLAT LITTLE MONSTERS HALLOWEEN HAMPER

October 24, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

TRICK OR TREAT?

Whether you're staying in or dressing up to go out this Halloween weekend, one thing is for certain, Hotel Chocolat have provided the Ultimate 'Little Monster' Halloween Hamper for those who prefer choosing the 'treat' option!

A wide array of spooky and fun treats to choose from, the Little Monster Halloween Hamper contains:

Cryptopher the Vampire - 16 scarily scrumptious Halloween chocolate shapes, all solid Caramel Chocolate
Oozy Eyes - Molten Caramel in White
Tiddly Vampires - Milk Chocolate
Witchney the Witch Tiddly Pot - Dinky drops of 40% Milk Chocolate
Skull Chocolate Lollies - Solid White Chocolate & Solid 40% Milk Chocolate

My personal favourite out of the Hamper has to be the Oozy Eyes as they are simply delicious and do indeed look rather spooky!

I am sure this will come as no surprise, but unfortunately, the Little Monster Halloween Hamper has now sold out online, but do click on their 'Check Store Stock' to see if this is available to purchase in your local Hotel Chocolat store. Perhaps another alternative would be to 'Build Your Own Hamper' which allows you to select your favourite chocolate treats to gift to a loved one, but let's be honest, we all know that loved one is yourself... I'm saying nothing!

Will you be trying out these Spooky Treats from Hotel Chocolat this Halloween? Have you already tried any of these? If so, which ones and how did you find them? Have you shopped with Hotel Chocolat before? Which is your favourite chocolate from them? Do let me know your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you, and don't forget to click the 'like' button!

RALPH LAUREN LOOKBOOK

October 22, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

When Ralph Lauren got in touch with me to work together on this LookBook, it was definitely up there as one of my blogging highlights! I had been given the option to choose a couple of items from their online website, and I chose the Slim Fit Oxford Sport Shirt and teamed it with some Hanford Leather Sneakers to keep it smart, yet keeping the outfit slightly casual with a fresh twist on the look!

I particularly liked how crisp the classic Oxford Sport Shirt looked, and I found that it was incredibly versatile and can be worn with anything. I enlisted the help of Matt McCormick who once again provided me with some amazing shots as we worked our way around Leeds!

I hope you like the images and I would love to see what you think down below in the comments section!

WHAT I WORE:

RALPH LAUREN | SLIM FIT OXFORD SPORT SHIRT

RALPH LAUREN | HANFORD LEATHER SNEAKERS

NEXT | NAVY STRIPE FASHION TROUSERS

Have you shopped with Ralph Lauren before? If so, what did you purchase? Do you like the Ralph Lauren pieces that I chose? I would love to hear from you all, so let me know your thoughts below, and don't forget to click the 'like' button!

COMMODITY CANDLES

October 19, 2017 by Mr Luke Christian

I had recently been approached by Commodity to become one of their influencers to which of course, I jumped at the chance!

Commodity is a relatively new and niche indie brand which use passionate perfumers to create special fragrances for both the body and home to allow yourself to express who you are and to enhance the way that you live. Sounds pretty exciting right? All of Commodity's fragrances are uni-sex and only use nature's finest ingredients, all of which are paraben free and cruelty-free.

As one of their influencers I received two of their candles;

From L-R; Book - Leather — *From L-R; Book - Leather*

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. BOOK

Slightly too overpowering for my personal taste, but has a divine 'earthy' feel to it!

Top Notes: Virginian Cedarwood, Bois de Rose, Eucalyptus, Bergamot
Middle Notes: Alaskan Cypress, Amyris, Amber
Base Notes: Musk, Sandalwood, Velvet

Behind the 'Book' scent is the perfumer; Ketrin Leka who was inspired by the turning of the book's pages whilst breathing in the smell of dry paper mingling in with the fresh air. I found the scent of the Book candle a little too overbearing, even without the candle burning... That, however, is just my personal preference and perhaps you may prefer candles that have a loud projection! To purchase, click here.

2. LEATHER

Out of the two, the Leather candle has to be my favourite.

Top Notes: Black Leather, Oregano Essence, Juniper Wood Essence
Middle Notes: Cacao Bean Absolute, Myrrh Resinoid, Cade Essence, Akigalawood
Base Notes: Styrax Resinoid, Cedarwood Essence, Haitian Vetiver Essence, Cistus Labdanum Essence from Concrete

Created by the perfumer; Rodrigo Flores-Roux, the Leather candle is bold and powerful with the heaviness of the Black Leather note coming through which remains prominent throughout the candle's burn time, yet still, has a creamy and rich feeling which softens the harshness of the Black Leather! Upon the first burn, this took a while for me to notice anything was actually burning, but once I had re-entered the room a wall of Leather hit my senses. If you are after a candle that fills the room and are a fan of Leather scents, then this one is one to check out. To purchase, click here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each of the Commodity home fragrances come with a little booklet which offers up more information and the process behind each scent. The booklet also has a 'candle care' guide which is particularly handy for those who struggle with maximising the most out of their candles!

Have you tried any of the fragrances by Commodity before? Have you managed to smell any of their gorgeous home scents? Will you be trying this brand out soon? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and don't forget to click the 'like' button below!