7 Must-Have Items In Fashion and Accessories

Fashion serves as a mode of expression and portrays one’s personality. Outfits change with every season and there’s nothing more exciting than a shopping spree to keep your fashion game up 
to the minute.
Are you looking to revamp your wardrobe? 

No matter what season, here are 7 stylish options that will keep you at the top of the fashion game all through the year:


1. Checkered Items
Sport a retro look with a pair of checkered trousers or a shirt. Cropped checkered trousers make a
great casual wear and can be paired with any tee or sweater. Or smarten up with a bright-
coloured checkered skirt. Try a swingy little black and white checkered dress and pair them with
zip-up sneakers. Accessorize with a red bandana tied around the neck for a flawless cute-casual
look.
You can even flaunt this print as footwear with checkered slip-on shoes. Plaid suits and blazers
are also making quite a rage and can be used for formal events and occasions. This print can help you create an elegant and refined outfit. Try a black and white checkered coat over a casual t-shirt, then add a statement belt for a street style look.

2. Customised Pieces
The new era of fashion has seen a growing trend towards customised items. Customizable
fashion is on the rise! Customised pieces give a sense of control to finicky shoppers and can also help to add a personal touch to their outfits.
 
Image Source Try a customised bag to add an extra edge to your outfit. DIZAIND bags is a dream brand thatoffers customizable handbags.
They allow you to pick out your preferred bag style, material, and colour and design your own bag. You can also try customized jewellery, t-shirts and even jackets that cater to your specific wants and needs.

3. Tote Bag

If you’re looking for a bag where you can chuck in every single one of your belongings- you
desperately need a tote bag! Dark coloured totes work perfectly for a person that loves a
minimalistic style. Carry them to office, dinner parties or for a fun day at the beach. They work as the perfect bold accessory to brighten up a dull outfit. Add a pop of colour to a
monochromatic outfit with a large red tote and you’re guaranteed to make a surefire statement.

They can accommodate laptops, beauty products and clothes all at once to help you maintain high standards of self-organization. Moreover, they contain slots that are specifically made for the safekeeping of valuables and fragile items. Spacious and durable, these bags were designed to be comfortable to carry and easy to style.

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 4. Athleisure Outfits
The athleisure trend has been sported by many celebrities worldwide. It refers to comfortable clothing that’s suitable for both exercise and everyday wear. Sport the trend with leggings, sweatshirts, hoodies or comfy tracksuits. You can make this look work by adding a low-cut shirt and a strappy bralette. Or layer a leather jacket atop your sweats for chilly days. However, avoid head-to-toe athleisure to avoid looking like you’re back from the 90’s!

You can either tone it down with sneakers or step it up with sleek heels. Avoid ratty or beat-up sneakers and opt for branded ones for a more polished look. Mix different prints and patterns and jazz it up with dainty, minimalist jewellery to avoid looking like you’re headed to the gym or just rolled out of your bed!

5. Neutral Heels
Heels are a must-have in a girl’s closet. It is recommended that you own at least a pair,
preferably in black, grey, tan or beige. Neutral heels fit seamlessly into any outfit and can help you look modish and sophisticated. A sexy pair of heels compliments any dress. Furthermore, they give the illusion of slender, tall legs.
You can balance the casualness of short pants with a feminine heel. Or pair them with casual jeans to add a hint of glam to your outfit. Pairing a black and white outfit with nude heels can help to soften your look while dressing up your feet. Don’t forget to add an individual spark with some interesting jewellery.

6. Monogrammed Accessories
Nothing shouts high-fashion and ultra sexy like a monogrammed accessory. It can make any outfit ooze confidence and style. You can monogram not just your name or initials but any word or alphabet that hold a special meaning for you.

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Monogrammed goods were a luxury reserved for the rich and famous a few years ago, but not anymore! DIZAIND bags is a unique brand that allows you to create your own bag or edit their bag designs and emboss your name or initials on them. It is perfect for customers wanting to have a differentiated accessory and something they can call truly their own.

7. Stripes
Stripes are a timeless classic that you can’t miss in your outfits. They are an evergreen trend.
Horizontal stripes can give the illusion of a slimmer silhouette while vertical stripes work to add character and depth to the outfit. Striped dresses and jumpsuits can also create a cute, easy summer outfit. Topped off with a with a wide brim fedora hat they can transform your outfit from boring to chic in a matter of seconds.
You can try mixing prints by choosing complementary colours. For example, pair a blue and white striped top with a red polka dot skirt. However, make sure to opt for smaller prints so that the outfit doesn’t look too overwhelming. Micro prints look dainty and work well with stripes to create a multi-print look that won’t feel too far out of your comfort zone.

Fashion is cyclical and keeping up with the latest trends can be a handful. Every year new trends come in and old ones need to be modernized. These options are timeless classics that are unlikely to go out of style anytime soon. We hope these trends sparks creativity in you and inspires you to express yourself better through fashion.

Giving up the game. When do you need to cut your losses in marriage

 It's something we all grapple with in an emotional sense. We all have issues in relationships, but there are certain times when it gets too much. We can feel like we have to stay with someone because we've given them so much of our lives but when the time is up and you have to cash in your chips, it can be difficult to know the signs. But when do you actually need to cut your losses in a marriage or a long-term relationship?

Here are a few things to consider.

There Are Other People Out There.
We feel like we're in a bubble when in a relationship, but there is a point when that bubble becomes a bit too stifling. There comes the time when you begin to realize there are other people out there, other people that will treat you better than your partner!

 You're In Denial No doubt your friends can see it, but you can't. If you are denying to yourself that everything is going wrong, and you're working hard to make it better, but it's beyond the point of no return, denial can be one of those emotions that is hard to accept. It seems that we can justify a lot to ourselves so you don't have to do the inevitable, but we need to trust our gut instinct, and this is something we ignore a lot of the time. You need to listen to your true feelings, as opposed to pushing them down.

 You Are Unhappy Not only this, but you are more unhappy than you are actually happy. Yes, we all experience bad times throughout the course of a relationship, but if you find yourself feeling negative about everything, not just the relationship, you need to ask yourself if it's the relationship that's dragging you down. We all experience these things from time to time, but if your emotions consist of unhappiness and it's not to do with your career, or any other life problem, it's time to address these issues head-on.

 What Are Your Options? How long is a piece of string? Because you have issues in your relationship, you may want to make it work, by marriage counselors and the like, or if you have both worked hard at the relationship to make it work, but it's still a lost cause,  it's time to find a lawyer that is sympathetic to your needs. There are numerous divorce lawyers that have been through this a million times before, and it can be a very painful process, but if you have the right person to help mediate the issues, it will make for a more honest and transparent separation.

 Ending a relationship doesn't mean admitting you're a failure, it really means that you were not compatible, and even though you tried hard, there are times when it is so unhealthy for you that you need to give up the ghost and walk away.
This is very difficult to come to terms with, but at the very end, it is for the best, for your mental and physical health.

Aaptiv

This App Will Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals

While everyone knows it’s important to exercise regularly, most people aren’t aware that the benefits of working out regularly can be no less than life changing. Here are just some of the few:

1) People who make time for the gym regularly have lower blood pressure, resting heart rate, and healthier cholesterol levels than those who don’t.

2) Exercise makes you happy and the research shows it. Your brain runs on a chemical cocktail and when you work out, all the chemicals that make you feel good are released.

3) You’ll get sick less often. No one ever realizes how tortuous the common cold can be until they get it. But once they get it,  they think it’s the end of the world. Thankfully, exercise makes you much more resilient to and able to fight off bacteria and viruses, so you can spend your sick days on the beach instead of in bed.

4) Stay younger for longer. Imagine spending your golden years and not being able to lift a carton of milk. Sounds scary, right? Well, working out slows your deterioration to keep your body mentally and physically sharp.  

 

In fact, you need to make time for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day of the week, or else after just one week your body goes through some pretty shocking changes. After just seven days of laying on the couch and eating potato chips, you’re already at an increased risk of developing type II diabetes, heart disease, losing muscle mass, and piling on body fat. Not to mention an increased risk of dementia and loss of gray matter mass. Scared yet?

While all those things are enough to frighten anyone into the nearest gym today, I know it can be hard to maintain motivation and dedication to stay fit in the long game, and there are always going to be weeks where you just won’t be able to find any time at all to get in a proper workout. This is why fitness apps are booming in popularity. Many people are using them to live a healthier lifestyle with their limited time and motivation.

There are very many smartphone apps available that help you become more fit, but Aaptiv in particular stands out among the rest.  This app skyrocketed to the top of Apple’s health and fitness category and grew their subscribers by over 10x since last summer to over 200,000 subscribers.

Whether you need help motivating from a trainer for inspiration, or need to find new ways to workout, Aaptiv has the perfect solution.

Aaptiv further sets itself apart from the competition by being the only fitness company that focuses exclusively on audio content. Most fitness companies offer trackers and graphs and text instructions that tell you what to do but do a poor job of really getting you to do it. Aaptiv stands out by giving you actionable, fun workout classes right in your ear.

                                                                                               

Aaptiv was formed in 2015 after their founder, Ethan Agarwal, gained some weight on the grind of business school. After graduating, like many studious business grads do, Ethan found himself in a fast-paced, demanding job that required a lot of travel and an unpredictable schedule. Ethan wanted to get back in shape but after evaluating his existing options, he came back empty-handed. Studio fitness classes had strict scheduling and cancelling policies, and Ethan was rarely in the same city long enough for a trainer to make sense for him. Aaptiv was his solution.

Today, Aaptiv has a team of seventy-employees and is growing quickly, bringing us #1 audio-fitness app. Aaptiv offers thousands of trainer-led, music-driven audio fitness workouts so you can work out when you want, where you want, the way you want. Take classes in treadmill, outdoor running, yoga, strength training, and much more.

The best part about Aaptiv is you can work out anywhere. Whether you’re at home or the office, many of Aaptiv’s classes require zero equipment. This makes Aaptiv perfect for anyone on a tight schedule that can’t afford a trip to the gym.

Here’s how it works:

You sign up for Aaptiv here and download the app.

Once that’s done, you’ll have access to all of Aaptiv’s trainer-led classes.

Aaptiv’s filter will help you find the perfect workout based on your type, difficulty, and the amount of time you have to dedicate to your workout.

Oh, and you can set to filter by trainer and genre of music too. Did I mention that each Aaptiv class is set to sweet tunes? And it’s not talking elevator music, Aaptiv uses top-tier artists like JT and Jay-Z.

And the experience really is just like have a trainer right next to you. Right in your ear will be a real-life person encouraging you to push on, keep taking deep breaths, and to correct your posture.

You’ll also never gotten bored with Aaptiv’s workouts. There are 15 active trainers who create more than 30 classes new classes every week, so you’ll never run out of a workout to do and can stay motivated. In summary, Aaptiv is a great audio-fitness app that you can use anywhere to help you achieve your goals and one that can’t come more highly recommended!

You can start your free trial with Aaptiv here.

We live in a society. 3 tips to do and feel socially good

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We all live in a society. When focused on our small considerations, or personal daily duties, it can sometimes be hard to remember this. We all live in large cities, large towns or simply areas populous enough where it would be impossible to know everyone. Even if you try and make an effort to do this with all the free time in the world, the human mind can only remember around 150 personal relationships at an absolute push, past that it can be impossible to manage everyone. This helps us forget about just how many people in the world there are.

Unfortunately, this also sometimes helps us forget about our impact on them and the world, even if we never act maliciously to anyone in any manner at all. This isn’t to say you should be a moral arbiter of planet Earth, or that you should do anything more than try in small ways to contribute to the overall good. It can also be frustrating when you’re trying and you see people who seemingly care little for anyone else. However, with small efforts, you tip the world a little further to Good with a capital G. It will also improve your mood to a significant degree.

Here are some small efforts for you to try:

Upcycling

Upcycling is a method of donating your goods, having them reformatted and resold, and for those proceeds to go to good causes, such as building homes for low-income families. This might sound appealing to you, especially if you have plenty of unwanted belongings otherwise waiting for landfill. Opting for this method via a service such as Habitat for Humanity habitathm.ca can help you achieve some real social good with a simple act - getting rid of clutter.

Volunteering

Volunteering can be of profound benefit to those who need it. This might be reading stories to children at a hospital. It might mean putting on a free class to help people learn photography. It could be helping out with a donation drive, or fundraising for a good cause. Volunteering could even technically fall under the umbrella of completing a sporting event to fundraise for charity, such as running a half marathon or even a full marathon if you’re feeling courageous. Anything you can put your labor towards for the sole purpose of helping people can be considered volunteering, and that will always remain admirable.

A Helping Hand

A helping hand can be a little more useful than you know. It might mean helping your neighbors move all their belongings, or accepting to look after a relatives children while they head out on a much needed evening of dining and a little wining. It could be complimenting someone you admire and letting them know. It might be telling your employees you really appreciate them, and that you would be less without them at your side. A helping hand can come in a million different ways, but as long as you make the day of someone else just that little bit brighter, you have achieved something on that date.

With these little tips, doing and feeling the pleasure of social help can be easier than you might think.

8 years!

I have never shared this full story on social media but feel to share.

8 years ago I walked into the mall with my daughter and I suddenly took a sharp pain on the right side of my chest and it was hard to breathe
I knew something was wrong so I went into pharmacy and asked if they had advice he said I need to go to ER as I didn't look well.

Called Andrew to come get me and he took me directly to ER where I breezed through triage and my vitals were wonky so I got right into a room.

They immediatly ordered tests and a dr came in but wasn't sure... He said something about leukhemia and I'm not sure what his words were exactly.

I was in panic mode because the L word scared me... I called my parents who drove 8 hours through the night to be here...

The next day it was confirmed I had a growth on my chest cavity blocking a breathing tube... They wanted to drain it but could not put me to sleep.. I will never forget laying on the OR bed couldn't move because one wrong move could puncture a lung.( I will spare the details of all I heard while it was being drained)

I got discharged the next day... They were sure I would be ok going forward...1 week later I am admitted again.

This time I was told lung surgery was being scheduled for me.

The surgery was Oct 6. I'll write about that at that time because that is quite the story.

So thankful for a God who saw fit to let me live and who gave me peace.

What can children learn from strategy games

What was the first time you ever played a game? Did it involve a bunch of pixels on a screen moving around? Was it in the playground with your friends? Chances are both of those were not, it's most probably when you were playing a board game with your family with your family. What are the most fun games at that age? Jigsaws are easy to figure out but once completed they get boring. Snakes and ladders are fun because it involves a dice roll each turn, therefore, there’s unpredictability at play. However, the games that have the most replayability are strategy games. Games that one can inject his or her personality into last a lot longer and remain fresh so long as the player can think of new ways of beating the opponent. Strategy games teach us to prepare ahead, think about the actions of others that could affect us personally, and to analyze what is the best move that we can make to win. What can children learn from this kind of play?
 The lessons of chess Chess is a game that’s been around and adored for thousands and thousands of years. It's quite simple to understand but to master it may take you several lifetimes. Children that are introduced to chess early learn about the brutality of sacrifice. There’s no way to win without losing pieces from your side. Therefore planning what is most valuable to you to achieve your goal takes a mental fortitude and skill. Magnus Carlsens name was heard all around the world when he was just a little child because he had become so amazing at chess from a young age. He understood that chess requires you to think in an almost transcendent way. You have to see the board from your opponent's perspective. This can be translated into real life by prioritizing things that are important to your success such as education and networking. Working hard and trying to see the world through an employer’s viewpoint will help you to stand out from other candidates. Real-time thinking Everybody could teach something to somebody else, namely in a subject category that we specialize in. Yet, quickfire rounds about that subject may have us gasping for the right answer to each question. They come thick and fast so thinking on your feet in real-time could show you the holes in your apparent knowledge. Final Fantasy 15 could help your child to think on their feet because you have to control forces that are in units. Each unit is independent and has their own special strengths and weaknesses. Strategy games that are played online are the new form of chess. Balance is very important to game developers so the game is purely based on your ability to think clearly and rationally, while battle is going on. It's also fun to look at as the artistic style and graphics are awesome as with all the FF series games. Imagine the potential you could unlock from within your child if you introduced to them these kinds of strategy games. Their actions and their style come through with each move. They learn to apply their game strategy to real life endeavors too.