How To Improve Your English Grammar

Good English grammar is not just for those writing essays or studying for degrees. If you take the trouble to really learn English grammar it will increase your chances when it comes to applying for most jobs, for courses or indeed for many of the goals you may have set yourself. Some people think that they just don’t have the head for grammar, but in fact it is something anyone can learn. Once you have taken the time to master the basics you’ll find it becomes a lot easier, and it really does pay off long-term. So what simple steps can you take to improve your grammar?

Learn The Basics: There are certain fundamental rules to grammar which, once learned, will make things a lot easier for you. Things like parts of speech, types of clauses, phrases and basic sentence elements will all be included in this. It can take a little time and patience to really memorise and understand these, but once you have them you will have them for life. It can help to buy a style manual for reference, such as The Oxford Manual of Style.

Use The Internet: There is an entire online community dedicated to encouraging people to learn English grammar so make use of it! On forums or discussion sites you will find plenty of people willing to give you some pointers or tell you where you are going wrong. Check out some of the grammar blogs and forums there are available.

Set Yourself Tasks: You should be applying what you have learned all the time by practicing writing emails, blogs, essays, short stories – whatever you want – and then going back through them with a style guide to correct them. It helps if you set yourself a certain amount of goals or tasks each week, and read a lot as well. The more you read and write, the better your grasp of grammar will become.

Take A Course: Whilst some people will be able to learn English grammar on their own, many find they need a little more structure behind their study. Taking a short course can be a good way to get some expert guidance from experienced tutors and give you the boost you need. Many courses can be tailored to your own specific needs or abilities so you won’t find you are going over old ground.

Learn Another Language: Studying another language makes you think a lot more about grammar and forces you to consider how another language might differ from English. It will make you think about English grammar in a different way and ultimate improve your understanding of it.

Getting The Most Out of Your Workforce – Team Building

As any manager, director or employer knows, the key to an efficient, productive team is team work. Without it, an office is doomed to waste valuable time and resources as individuals overlap each other’s work or fail to communicate important trip facts and figures. Thankfully, there are a whole host of things you can do as a manager or employer to encourage team work amongst your employees.

Improving morale in the workplace is a great way to encourage your team to work together. Make sure the workspace is well lit, tidy and is as spacious as physically possible. In addition, breaks to the daily routine maintain worker’s enthusiasm. Most importantly, however, is giving your employees genuine responsibility and making them know they are a valued part of the team.

Encouraging a little socialisation outside of the workplace can also work wonders in team building. Employee’s that know each other outside of a purely business capacity are more likely to empathise and assist one another than if they are associated purely through work. Of course, a balance needs to be maintained, but going out for drinks after work on a Friday or other such activities can really benefit a team.

Another very important aspect of maintaining a good team spirit is to be sure everyone is included in the group. It can be daunting for new employees or those who are a little shyer to break into a well established group dynamic, so look to your more senior employees to make everyone feel welcome. Sometimes, pairing new members of your team with more senior staff in a ‘buddy’ type system can really help the junior employee come on. They will not only benefit from the experience of the senior member of staff, they will also come into contact with their contacts and staff mates.

If you are really serious about boosting your team’s productivity and spirit there are specialised companies offering their expertise in team building and in the work place. Professionally trained experts run team building workshops, either during the working day or over the weekend that are aimed to get your team communicating and working together.

These events are specifically tailored to your companies needs and can focus on any number of team building aspects. The style and focus of the sessions is essentially down to you, the employer. The so called ‘soft skills’ your employees can develop from the team building workshops can go on to prove extremely valuable to your company and include of all manner of focus areas. Listening skills, negotiating, confidence and leadership are just a few examples of what a team building coach may look to develop with your employees.

At the end of the day, make sure your efforts are all genuine and don’t force social situations on people who really aren’t keen. Encourage gently and you’ll soon find people are more than willing to participate!

How To Hold A Memorable Event

If you’re responsible for organising a corporate event, whether it’s a company party or a huge conference, you have the opportunity to make it a really memorable occasion for everyone involved and earn yourself a few brownie points in the process. Putting on a really stand-out event means thinking differently and planning meticulously. Before you begin, you need to work out everything that will be involved and who will be responsible for each aspect. But once the preliminary legwork is done, how do you go about making it different from other corporate events? Here are some hints:

Have A Theme: One sure way to make your corporate event stick in the mind is to come up with a fantastic theme. There are so many to choose from, and it’s good if you can find some way for the theme of the event to tie in with its aims or with the interests of the type of the attendees. You could, for example, go for a Spanish twist and organise the food, decor and music around this. Look at live music bands that are able to adapt their style to suit any theme.

Hire Professionals: When it comes to catering, entertainment or venue managers, it really does make sense to pay a little more for real professionals. People who know their job inside-out will be able to enhance your attendees’ experience immeasurably. If you are thinking of hiring live music bands for your entertainment, for example, then make sure you go to see them first and always, whatever services you are looking to hire, ask for personal recommendations from previous clients.

Have A Surprise: Another way to make sure people remember your event is to have some kind of surprise in store, whether it’s fireworks or a special guest appearance from a celebrity. This is where hiring an experienced events entertainment company can pay dividends, as they will be able to come up with something imaginative that fits perfectly with the style of event you are running and the demographic of your attendees.

Give Away Freebies: If you present each of your guests with quirky free gifts you can be sure they will come away with a smile on their faces, and tell other people about the event. Having something physical to take away with them – whether it’s a photo, toy or gadget – will make your company and the event come to their mind whenever they look at it. The gift doesn’t have to be particularly expensive, but it should tie in with the theme in some way.

Why Use A Professional Wedding Photographer?

Many people balk at the idea of hiring a professional wedding photographer for their big day, preferring to ask a friend or relative to do it instead. But the danger with this is that you may find yourself disappointed with the end result, and after all you will only have one chance to get this right and you want the memories to last a lifetime. There is a lot more skill involved in photography than many people think, so in short we believe it pays off in the long run to bring in a professional to capture your day. Here are just some reasons why:

The Right Equipment: Good photographic gear is very expensive, but without it you just won’t be able to get the best picture quality for your wedding album. If you hire a professional outfit they will already have all the equipment necessary so all you need to do is pay a flat fee and they take care of the rest. Buying cameras, editing software, lenses, lighting etc. can be very expensive, so most amateur photographers don’t have it. Also, many people don’t consider the post-production involved in creating a wedding album. It can be complicated and time-consuming and an amateur just might not be able to get the results you are looking for.

Professional Techniques: When you hire a skilled wedding photographer you can pretty much back and leave the work to them, without having to supervise. You will find, for example, that professionals know the best angles for formal shots, those all-important wedding vows, first dances etc. They will have all the right lenses ready for the right moment and will not be caught unprepared at crucial points throughout the day. A friend who is doing this as an amateur, with the best will in the world, may miss certain key moments or get the wrong shot.

Local Knowledge: Many people can be put off by the price of hiring wedding photographers, but it doesn’t have to be hugely expensive if you choose a local firm who don’t have to factor in travel expenses. In fact, it can be far better to choose a local company who know the area well and aren’t far away if you have any queries. For example, if you live in Cornwall, a highly popular location for weddings, then choosing a firm specialising in wedding photography in Cornwall will ensure you are hiring someone who is not only professional, but is familiar with the natural beauty of the area and can make your wedding look beautiful too.

Important Contacts: By the nature of their work, photographers are constantly being thrown in the way of other professionals such as caterers, florists, venue owners etc. To use the above example again, if you are unsure of which local firms to hire, the firm you have chosen specialising in wedding photography in Cornwall can also be your ‘in’ to other high quality service providers. It is useful, when you are planning something as potentially fraught with complication as a wedding, to have an introduction and references to speed up the process of choosing your other services.

Finding A Wedding Photographer In Cornwall

When choosing a professional photographer for their wedding, many people in Cornwall – a very popular location for weddings – prefer to go for someone local who will know the area and be close at hand for any changes or alterations to the finished photo package after the event. But how do you go about finding a good local Cornish wedding photography firm?

Ask Friends: If you are a Cornish local, then the easiest way to find out about good photographers is to ask friends or acquaintances who have themselves had to hire a professional to take pictures for them. This is a good way to go about it because you can be pretty sure that someone who has been heartily recommended by a good friend is going to be reliable.

Look Online: If you don’t actually live in Cornwall but are getting married there then one of the easiest ways to look for a local firm is to search online. Type ‘Cornish wedding photography’ into a search engine and you will come up with plenty of choices. There are many websites hosting databases of various wedding services. Another useful aspect of searching for services online is that certain databases will come with reviews from previous clients so you can get a feel for how well a particular firm’s work has been received. Also, most companies today will have a website, and the quality of this and their online portfolio should be able to give you some idea of what they have to offer.

Ask Other Firms: Once you have chosen other wedding services providers, such as your venue or caterers, they may then be in a position to recommend a photographer to you. The nature of the wedding industry is such that firms specialising in certain fields will often cross paths and come to build up professional relationships. You may even find, therefore, that certain photographers will give you a discount if you approach them through another firm – such as an entertainment company – with whom they are used to working.

Wedding Fair: Lastly, have a look at whether there are any wedding fairs taking place in Cornwall as these are a great place to get ideas for your big day and find the kinds of professionals you are looking for. It helps to meet people face-to-face and establish a relationship before you hire them, and this way you can meet several local photographers in one go without having to trawl from place to place to meet them all.

Create A Look That’s As Individual As You Are With Patterned Tights. . .

Did you know there’s a website that has over 260 different patterned tights for sale? All the various colours of the rainbow, with vibrant patterns you can’t help but fall in love with. Well you do now. The secret’s out!

Patterned tights are the ‘must have’ ingredient for your wardrobe that can transform any outfit into something truly unique in an instant.

This is fantastic news for those individuals who insist on maintaining their very own sense of style. Someone just like you in fact. Someone who prefers to start their own fashion trends, rather than following the herd. Someone who knows exactly what they like to wear and refuses point blank to compromise.

If you favour bold prints, animal prints, crazy prints, monochrome prints, funky prints, floral prints, jazzy prints, tartans, stripes, fluorescents – you name it – this place has it. Everything you could wish for in terms of leg wear and a whole lot more besides. Exciting, right?

Perhaps you love nothing more than making your own vintage clothes and accessories. You enjoy milling around local markets discovering new ideas, visiting specialist websites and forums to pick up on the gossip and unearth all the latest hot fashion tips. And maybe offering up some of your own.

Patterned tights are the perfect accessories for personalising your look. Stunning prints in all sorts of vibrant colours and designs allow you to customise every outfit so that it screams ‘you’ – and you alone.

And if you are the kind of creative person who has their own website or sells their creations via an online marketplace such as Etsy, then you’re sure to find some inspired ideas and be able to source an eclectic range of materials from this fantastic resource.

Patterned tights can transform an outfit in an instant, making it truly your own. These tights are great accompaniments to any outfit, whether for parties or events, or simply hanging out with friends. When you’re looking to make just the right impression, patterned tights will help you get it spot on. (Excuse the pun.)

If you’re someone who dares to be different, then finding your true style is what it’s all about. Take a look through the ingenious range of patterned tights available at your favourite online hosiery store. Like we said, they’ve got over 260 unique pieces waiting to delight and inspire you.

But buyer beware, you might just start a new fashion trend!

Plus Size Tights – With All The Style And Comfort You Want, Now There’s No Need To Compromise

Just because you’re a little more curvaceous than the average woman, doesn’t mean you should have any less choice when it comes to buying hosiery. That’s why today’s plus size tights should be big on style and comfort in equal measure.

Many of our top designers are recognising the demand for plus size products – it’s about time too. For far too long now, the curvier woman has had to put up with hosiery products that don’t fit her properly, as well as limited options when it comes to style. The fact is, you want tights that suit you, not something that is chosen for you.

Plus size tights will give your legs all the support they need while keeping you cool and comfy all day long. And if you’re looking for top brands, plus the best choice of plain tights, patterns and colours, you need look no further than your favourite online hosiery stockist.

Whether you’re looking for tights for work, leisure time or something a little more intimate, your online specialist will be able to give you the very best products at competitive prices, plus an excellent service delivered as standard.

If you’ve been disappointed by a lack of choice when buying plus size tights in your local high street or department store, you’ll appreciate what a common problem it can be. For too many years, hosiery retailers failed to cater efficiently for the more curvaceous woman. Only now, is this issue being addressed.

So now, there’s no need to trawl up and down your local shopping centre in the vague hope you will strike it lucky. With the best selection of plus size tights available online, you can get exactly what you need from now on.

Got a social get together coming up soon? Or a special weekend away? Don’t wait until the last minute to buy the essential things you need. Why not stock up now on the latest tights fashions from the biggest names in hosiery design. That way you can sure of getting your first choice of all the wonderful and unique tights available.

It’s great that there is so much more choice of patterns and styles available these days, whatever your size. Your plus size tights from your online hosiery stockist will fit you just perfectly, so you’ll look great and feel great too. No need for compromise any longer. Why not treat yourself to something special today?

Redeployment and Outsourcing FAQs

Career and redeployment coaching is big business and services can be tailored to every company’s specific needs. In light of the recent cuts to public spending, local and government authorities are increasingly turning to professionals for help and advice with finding their employees new lines of work. Here are some questions frequently asked by firms looking to enlist the services of a career coaching firm.

Q. As the director or owner of a company in the process of downsizing, does it matter what type of career coach I employ?

A. It certainly does. Career coaches all differ slightly in their area of expertise. Whilst one may be an expert in career progression, another could well be a redeployment coach. The type of service you will receive ultimately depends on your choice of coach. Some will focus on individual coaching, whilst others look to address issues in teams or as a whole business.

Once you have chosen the right type of coach, it is important to research individual coaches and firms before taking one on. Ask questions about their past experience, track record, accreditations and professional qualifications.

Q. What types of coaching are available?

A. Essentially, the options are limitless in terms of career and redeployment coaching. A redeployment coach could be involved in your outsourcing process in a whole manner of capacities. In might be appropriate for your company for a coach to get involved purely on an advice basis, whilst another company might require a more hands on approach. Whilst there are methods of best practise and industry standards a coach will tailor their sessions to fit each individual firm.

Q. What’s the process I should go through to employ a career or redeployment coach?

A. After deciding the type of coach your firm requires you should get quotes from a number of companies. Investigate their track record as well as their feedback from their ex clients. Professional qualifications and accreditations from institutes like the British Psychological Society.

Q. How much should I expect to pay for outsourcing or redeployment coaching?

A. Naturally costs will vary depending on the scale of your outsourcing or redeployment and the service you require. Redeployment firms will charge either per session or as a whole fee. Be sure to agree the payment structure in the initial contract talks and determine how and when you will be paying the coaching firm.

Career coaching isn’t just for companies either. Individuals can access their services in a similar way for one to one sessions by getting in touch with a career coaching firm.

Changing Career Path

t happens to almost everyone; becoming bored and fed up with your line of work. If a holiday or a new suite won’t quite satisfy that stagnant feeling perhaps it is time for a career change. It doesn’t have to be drastic, but it could give you that new lease of life. Here we’ve got some career change advice for you to consider.
Before you go into job hunting mode, talk to your employer. He or she may have noticed you have lost that spark over the last few months and could well have some solutions to your slump. As mentioned, a career change doesn’t have to be drastic. A few tweaks to your responsibilities or even a sideways step in the organisation you already work could well be the thing you’ve been looking for.

Be honest but tactful with your employer and remember that they are a human being too. Bursting into their office to shout about how pathetic you think their organisation is will not do you any favours. Instead, make an appointment to see them and calmly explain how you feel.

If this is not an option or doesn’t work out, it could well be time to start sending out job applications. Look around before applying as you don’t want to end up in a job that is just as poor, or worse, than your current job. Pick something that truly inspires you as well as something that is within your skill set and qualifications. Talk to friends and acquaintances and always keep an ear to the ground.

Do not quit your current job as it is much harder to find a new one if you are out of work. In addition, if you are drastically changing your career, don’t expect to walk into a job that pays the same salary as your current job.
Before the applications go out, update your CV. It should be no longer than 2 pages long and include all your relevant qualifications, achievements and skills. Your CV should be a working document that is tweaked every time you send out an application. Tailor it, along with a covering letter, to fit the job you are applying for.

Look for a job with a career path and promotion prospects. If you fail to do this you will quickly find yourself becoming fed up with work again. Do not be afraid of ringing potential employers up to talk to them about career prospects if they have advertised vacancies. This could even do you a favour in the long run as employers like taking on individuals that show drive and a willingness to succeed.

Finally, if you are financially stable enough, going back to study may be an option. If you cannot afford to do this full time, there are hundreds of part time courses available offering you a chance to work towards professional qualifications. The Open University delivers all its content online so you can study for a degree in your own time whilst you are still at work.

Whatever you decide upon, be patient and never burn a bridge. Keep working hard and remember that sometimes you might just have to take a risk to take that next step in your career.

Live Music Vs Recorded Music

There is nothing quite like the experience of going to a live gig – the atmosphere, the crowds and the possibility that anything could happen. Listening to recorded music is an entirely different kettle of fish – it doesn’t require a crowd and is therefore much more personal. Both live music and recorded music have their own special appeal and there is more than enough room for both.

Most of us have a great deal of access to live music today. If you live in a big city you are lucky in that there are generally gigs of varying sizes, whether in a pub or a large stadium, going on pretty much every night. For example, there are so many live bands in London looking for gigs that it is more than likely you can go down to a pub near you and see some live music.

What many music lovers enjoy about live music is the sense of spontaneity it gives. Every time you go to see your favourite band perform it will be a little different. Many performers are notoriously unpredictable too and for a lot of their fans this just adds to the enjoyment of going to see them. Yes, you can buy recordings of live music or watch it on the TV but the experience of actually being there just can’t be replicated.

However, it should be remembered that not everyone lives near a city where bands frequently play, or has the ability to travel regularly to gigs. If you can’t go to see live bands in London, say, then having the music on your ipod or computer is the next best thing. Advances in sound quality mean that, although the acoustics will never be the same as at a live venue, listening to your favourite music wherever you are can at least by an enjoyable experience.

Indeed, accessibility is one of the ways in which recorded music has the edge on live gigs. With the wealth of technology available to us today it is possible to listen to almost any music you want, wherever you are. If you’re sitting on a train and you think of a song you would like to hear, you can simply download it. A live gig, by contrast, is a unique one-off event that only a relatively small number of people will experience.

Recorded music also differs from live music in that it often represents a recording artist’s completed vision, rather than a one-off interpretation of it. As such, it is more something for posterity than an evening’s entertainment. Albums like the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, to use a famous example, represent months in the studio to get just the right balance of sound. Without recording equipment it would not be possible to have these albums to listen to over and over again.

In essence, then, neither form of music is ‘better’ since they are very different ways to appreciate an artist’s work. The constant improvements in technology to make music available to fans throughout the world can only be a good thing, but still bands will continue to tour as this is the best way for them to connect with their fans on a more immediate and personal level.

How To Improve Your Written English

It is generally accepted that English is the international language of business. You may be able to speak English well, but if you want to get on in business, particularly if you are hoping to get a job that involves travel, you really should brush up on your writing skills. If you just take a few minutes to practice each day and learn the basics of grammar you will soon improve, and you will notice the pay-off when it comes to applying for jobs or simply for making your day-to-day life easier. So what can you do to work on your written English?

Read A Lot: To begin with, one of the most important things to do if you want to improve your written English skills is read as much as possible so you can get a feel for sentence structure, grammar and punctuation. It doesn’t matter what you’re reading, in fact it’s good to get hold of a lot of varied material so you’re also aware of the way that writing styles can change depending on the format. For example, writing a short article for a magazine or writing an email is going to be very different to the kind of English employed for a novel or short story.

Think In English: Many people, if English is not their first language, will tend to think in their own language when writing and then translate it back to English in their head. This is making life more difficult for yourself, as different rules of grammar, idioms and cultural differences mean that your language will end up sounding unnatural. It takes a while to learn, but you need to try to think in the language you are writing in. It’s certainly a skill, but it can make a huge difference to the quality of your writing.

Get Friends To Proofread: If you have English-speaking friends, ask them if they can read through pieces you have written now and then to check for mistakes in spelling, grammar or punctuation. There are bound to be idioms or phrases you are not aware of that might work better in certain passages or sentences, but often these are the kinds of thing you won’t be aware of unless somebody tells you.

Use The Internet: You should take advantage of the vast online resources at your disposal. For example, learning English grammar online is one of the best ways to pick up the rules of written English because there are so many online reference guides, forums dedicated to those who want to improve their written English and daily email tips you can sign up to. If you are really interested in learning English grammar online you can even take online courses so that experienced tutors can help you with your written skills and you can still work as flexibly as you want.

Practice Constantly: Whether you’ve decided to take an online course or learn by yourself, you won’t improve your written English if you don’t practice constantly. Email English friends, write short stories or articles, start a blog – basically do anything that ensures you are writing on a daily basis to keep the momentum up.

Paris Hilton Wears £12 Suspender Tights . . . But You Don’t Need To Be An Heiress To Bag Yourself A Bargain!

She may be worth an absolute fortune, but it seems heiress Paris Hilton loves a bargain every bit as much as the next woman. Or could it be she just loves the immense sense of style?

Paris was recently spotted in LA wearing House of Holland’s Mesh Suspender Tights, teamed with a black dress, gilet and heels. Fashion commentators were quick to point out that it was an unusually understated look for the flamboyant Ms Hilton – but boy did she nail it. You rocked, girl!

And you know how it can be when you’re in the limelight; journos just love to pick holes in your dress sense.

If you remember, Rihanna was heavily criticised by the Fashion Police recently for going OTT with her suspender tights outfit: stars, stripes and sunnies. So as all the top fashion magazines advise, the best solution when wearing suspender tights is to keep the rest of your ‘get up’ (relatively) plain and simple. Block colours can work wonderfully teamed with suspender tights.

Everybody’s darling, Jessie J, can do no wrong it seems when it comes to performing on stage and off. We just love her sense of fashion and fun. And Jessie is rarely seen these days without her trademark suspender tights. And like Jessie, you too can forget about the ‘Price Tag’, because starting at around £7.99, suspender tights are great value for money.

Suspender tights are the staple ‘ingredient’ of many an Essex girl’s wardrobe as demonstrated by TOWIE’s Amy and Maria and also the Sloanies from Made In Chelsea. But whether you’re made in Chelsea, Essex, or wherever, I guarantee you’ll be bowled over by the latest tights collections.

So what is it about suspender tights that makes them so universally popular with young women everywhere?

Two things: the feel and the look. Though not necessarily in that order.

Suspender tights are brilliant to wear on your legs. They’ll keep you cool and comfortable hour after hour, whatever you’re getting up to. And you have to admit, they look sensational. They just demand to be photographed. The camera loves them.

Right now you can pick up some great celebrity-inspired suspender tights online. Your preferred hosiery stockist has everything you need to update your wardrobe.

Whether you have designs on becoming the next Jessie J, or simply the first ‘you’, the latest suspender tights will give you a touch of the superstar glamour without the superstar ‘Price Tag.’ Enjoy.

Don’t Shop ‘Til You Drop! Here’s The Hassle-free Way To Buy Plus Size Tights

Looking for plus size tights, but can’t seem to find what you need? Look no further, because there’s a huge choice of the latest fashion tights in plus sizes (up to 32) available now from your preferred online hosiery stockist.

Why waste time driving around town when you can find all the styles and colours you could want in one place?

There’s nothing worse than having to make do with the wrong size tights because the shop didn’t have what you wanted. Squeezing into tights that don’t fit probably is never a good idea, because tights are meant to comfy and easy to move in.

If you have curves – embrace them! Plus size tights are designed with your ultimate comfort and satisfaction in mind. It’s no secret that tights are the number one choice to wear with all your favourite skirts and dresses. Choose from plus size tights in classic shades like black, white and nude.

Or how about jazzing up your wardrobe with coloured tights – there’s every colour you can think of – multi-colours too – and they look fantastic when matched with personal accessories like handbags or umbrellas.

Then there’s a wonderful array of patterned and print tights, which look superb with neutral or dark coloured outfits. Whichever designs you opt for, this season’s plus size tights will give all your outfits the wow factor!

When you’re off somewhere special, the last thing you want is to be worrying about your leg wear letting you down. So buy from the people you can trust: your preferred online hosiery specialist. Ordering is easy. If this is your first time, simply sign up for an account on the safe and secure website and browse to your heart’s content.

Whenever you need to place future orders, just log on to the site with your chosen password and make your selections. Your order will be processed right away and usually you will have your goods within a couple of days.

Your favourite online hosiery store is the place to go for all your plus size tights. Open 24/7 it’s so convenient. You can browse the latest stock additions whenever you like! And you can always be certain of getting top quality plus size tights or extra large tights in a great choice of colours, styles and patterns, courtesy of all your favourite fashion houses.

Vow to be kinder to your feet in future. Buying all your plus size tights online is the hassle-free way to shop.

Create A Look That’s As Individual As You Are With Patterned Tights. . .

Did you know there’s a website that has over 260 different patterned tights for sale? All the various colours of the rainbow, with vibrant patterns you can’t help but fall in love with. Well you do now. The secret’s out!

Patterned tights are the ‘must have’ ingredient for your wardrobe that can transform any outfit into something truly unique in an instant.

This is fantastic news for those individuals who insist on maintaining their very own sense of style. Someone just like you in fact. Someone who prefers to start their own fashion trends, rather than following the herd. Someone who knows exactly what they like to wear and refuses point blank to compromise.

If you favour bold prints, animal prints, crazy prints, monochrome prints, funky prints, floral prints, jazzy prints, tartans, stripes, fluorescents – you name it – this place has it. Everything you could wish for in terms of leg wear and a whole lot more besides. Exciting, right?

Perhaps you love nothing more than making your own vintage clothes and accessories. You enjoy milling around local markets discovering new ideas, visiting specialist websites and forums to pick up on the gossip and unearth all the latest hot fashion tips. And maybe offering up some of your own.

Patterned tights are the perfect accessories for personalising your look. Stunning prints in all sorts of vibrant colours and designs allow you to customise every outfit so that it screams ‘you’ – and you alone.

And if you are the kind of creative person who has their own website or sells their creations via an online marketplace such as Etsy, then you’re sure to find some inspired ideas and be able to source an eclectic range of materials from this fantastic resource.

Patterned tights can transform an outfit in an instant, making it truly your own. These tights are great accompaniments to any outfit, whether for parties or events, or simply hanging out with friends. When you’re looking to make just the right impression, patterned tights will help you get it spot on. (Excuse the pun.)

If you’re someone who dares to be different, then finding your true style is what it’s all about. Take a look through the ingenious range of patterned tights available at your favourite online hosiery store. Like we said, they’ve got over 260 unique pieces waiting to delight and inspire you.

But buyer beware, you might just start a new fashion trend

Make A Bold Fashion Statement With Coloured Tights

What’s your favourite colour? Go on. I’ll bet there’s one particular colour you wear more than any other. And sometimes people don’t consciously realise it until you point it out to them.

A close friend of mine has a drawer full of tights in every colour of the rainbow – and then some. And that’s all because her favourite colour is black. Is black a colour? It didn’t used to be when I was at school. But I digress . . .

And the main reason my friend Bex adores her ‘loud’ coloured tights is because they all go a treat teamed with black. They look terrific with her fave LBD, her black stripy skirt suit, her black leather mini (ultra mini), her black cut-down jeans . . . well, I’m sure you get the picture.

But what gets all the attention when Bex goes out? Her coloured tights of course. People are always commenting on how great Bex looks in her bright, bold tights, (plus her trademark black uniform, naturally). And asking her for fashion advice. And staring at her legs. Men in particular, tend to do this quite a lot I’ve noticed. The staring, I mean . . .

So what is Bex’s favourite colour? After black of course. Well Bex adores her fluorescent pink tights and the flo green ones – oh and the flo yellow – and there again, she loves her deep red cable tights and the pink spotted ones. Bex makes special mention of the purple ones for when she’s in one of her ‘woman of mystery’ moods. I think Bex has a special colour pair of tights to match all her moods.

Given enough time and the inclination and Bex is highly likely to run you through her entire tights collection . . . in minute detail. Best not to ask really.

As if her collection wasn’t already big enough to open her own emporium, Bex tells me she’s just been online and snapped up a pair of the Carnaby 60s Retro Tights. This woman needs professional help.

If, like my mate Bex, you can’t resist the calling of coloured tights, and you’d like to get asked for your fashion tips by envious women, or chatted up by men on the pretext of asking for fashion tips for their sisters, why not take a peek at the latest tights collections online – in all the biggest and boldest colours imaginable. Then you can get out there and make your own (bold) fashion statement.

How To Hire A Band In London

If you live in London you will be aware of the huge number of live bands for hire throughout the city. There are so many different types of musicians looking to earn a crust through hiring out their skills. However, if you are looking at live bands in London to play at an event you are organising – be it a small festival, corporate event or wedding – you need to know how to find the true professionals. If the event is important to you then you need to know the band you are hiring can do the job. Here are some tips to help you along:

Type Of Music: Before you begin your search, you need to decide what kind of band you want. This really depends on the type of event you are holding – a more sober corporate event might require a more laid-back type of band, whereas if you are holding your wedding you will probably want to choose the kind of music you would want to listen to. Luckily, London is such a diverse place you should be able to find bands playing musical genres to suit every kind of taste or occasion.

Research: Once you know what type of live music you want, the next step is to research the market to check the availability of live bands in London. A good way to start is to get recommendations from other people who have hired bands. You should also go to local events and gigs to see if any of the bands there take your fancy. Also, look online as there are many bands with their own websites advertising their services, some of which will have online videos of their performances so you can see for yourself the kind of music they play.

Meet The Band: Once you think you have decided on a band, or made a shortlist of possibilities, you should meet them to face-to-face to talk about set lists – this is hard to do properly over the phone or by email. You should agree on pricing beforehand and this is also the time to find out whether they will be bringing all their own equipment, lighting etc. or whether you will need to provide any of this yourself.

Contingency Plans: You should also agree on contingency plans should a member of the band take ill on the day, for example. Also, agree on what will happen if the event runs over time. Will they keep playing, and how much extra will you pay them for this?

Venue: Lastly, check any restrictions regarding live music at the London venue you have chosen. Also, is the venue suited to the kind of live band you have chosen and is it conveniently located for them to get to easily?

Buying A Bespoke Fitted Kitchen

Every kitchen is different. Some are more spacious than others, some are quirky and unusually shaped, and some are very small. Whatever the size and shape of your room, you want to get kitchen fittings that make the best use of the space you have and suit your house. Because of this, sometimes it is not enough to just buy a ‘standard’ kitchen from a local superstore such as B&Q. Many people now recognise the advantages of buying a bespoke kitchen which, while sometimes being a little more expensive, will fit the particular requirements of your home.

It is best, if you can, to find a small and locally-based kitchen designer to work with. Say you are based in Warwickshire, you can type ‘local Warwickshire bespoke fitted kitchens’ into a search engine online and you will get plenty of results for your area.

Yes, a large chain may be cheaper but they won’t provide you with such a personalised service. What you really want is somebody who will sit down and work with you to create a kitchen that is unique to your house. If you can, get a personal recommendation from a friend or acquaintance living in Warwickshire for bespoke fitted kitchens, so you can be extra sure you are going to get a good service.

It is important, before you start choosing your fittings, to analyse your kitchen space in the greatest possible detail. Measure carefully to see how much space you have to work with, and consider how you can make the best use of this space. Think about what appliances you want, how many power points you will need and where you would like these to go.

Next, sit down with your chosen kitchen supplier and talk it all through. It is important to do this as they will be able to advise you on what will work best within your particular space and budget constraints. There is a huge and confusing range of kitchens out there and there might be many styles that take your fancy. It’s best to decide what will go with the style of your house. If you have a very new house, then perhaps a modern, streamlined kitchen with clean lines will work best.

Next, think about the raw materials you want to use. If you want something with a bit of longevity then it is probably best to lay out a little more cash to get something of a higher quality. Consider it a long-term investment. As a last note, in terms of longevity I would advise that it’s best go for classic styling and colours that won’t look dated in a few years. How many houses have you walked in to with kitchens that positively scream ‘1980s’, for example? You don’t want your house to do the same.

Improve Your English In The Workplace

If English is not your first language and you want to improve your grasp of it in order to get on in your career or make new friends, sometimes your place of work is the best situation to do this in. If you need to work to earn a living you won’t necessarily have the time to fit an English course around it, particularly if your hours are long or you work shifts, so combining your learning with your job can be the ideal solution.

One of the biggest helps to you at work if you are trying to increase your vocabulary is to talk as much as possible to your English-speaking colleagues. If you are not able to talk much during working hours, either because you are in a loud environment such as a factory or because you are too busy, then spend as much time as you can talking during breaks and lunchtime, or before work begins. Make friends with people who are feel comfortable correcting your English and giving you pointers on where you are going wrong.

If you are in an office job, then you should get into the habit of trying to communicate by email as much as possible too as this will help with your writing skills. Just make sure, once you have written an email, you go back through it with a spell and grammar checker before sending it! Communicating through email is an essential part of many jobs, so if you want to improve your career prospects you need to master this. Why not have a vocabulary list on your desktop and add to it every time you learn a new word or phrase? Try to read as much as much work-related material as possible too, even if it’s something as simple as the office notice board.

If you work with a lot of non-English speaking people you might also want to consider trying to talk to your employers about the benefits of learning English online. There are many online courses out there today which will offer work-based language training geared specifically towards business English with discounts for large groups of people, so they might well be happy to invest in their employees’ development.

Learning English online is better for those who have to combine their studies with a job because the syllabus can be completed at any time, as long as there are computers available, and can be tailored to meet the skill level of each individual employee as obviously not everybody will be at the same level. For your employers, many courses will have the benefit of allowing them to view reports on your progress and see where your own personal strengths lie. This can of course ultimately have an effect on your career development so taking such a course can be a very important step forward.

Sign Makers – Your Partner In All Your Advertising & Marketing Promotions

Sign makers are your perfect business partner for all your indoor and outdoor marketing promotions. Whether you need to advertise products, services, or your company itself, using a top quality sign maker is essential to your brand image.

Some things you will need to consider when choosing from the many sign makers who advertise their services online:

Quality

Price

Turnaround & delivery times

Life expectancy of materials

Years trading (manufacturing experience)

Guarantees

Eco-friendliness of products


One of the most important considerations for you the customer is how long your potential sign maker has been in business. Clearly, some degree of longevity means that your sign maker will have had years to hone his trade and that his skills will have developed considerably over the years.

Turnaround and delivery times are important, particularly if your sign is for a special event, trade show, or promotion. Can your chosen sign maker guarantee a fast turnaround and delivery – say within 24-48 hours? If so, will you have to pay extra for this facility, or does it come ‘as standard’?

If your sign maker is advertising themselves as ‘cheapest’, can you be certain they are not sacrificing quality or using inferior materials or sub-standard processes to create their products?

What about the life of the materials themselves? Depending on the type of materials you choose and whether you want them for indoor or outdoor use, your sign maker ought to be able to provide a minimum guarantee as to how long your sign will last you.

Many of us are becoming more eco-conscious these days. In fact, some people will only consider buying from companies with proven ‘green’ credentials. With this in mind, all raw materials should be traceable to source, and your manufacturer should clearly state what their environmental policy is and outline their objectives with regard to energy saving. Better still, does your preferred manufacturer offer an ‘eco-signs’ option?

Remember, there are hundreds of potential sign makers online vying for your business, so it’s really important to choose wisely.

Like any professional you work alongside in your business, for example an accountant or business consultant, a top sign maker can be a real asset to your company – providing first rate advice and a first class service. Hopefully, for a long time to come.

So when it comes to choosing a sign maker, don’t settle for less than the very best. Your image depends on it!

Why Do Musicians Wear Earplugs?

In the early days of rock and roll, musicians such as Neil Young, Brian Wilson or Eric Clapton probably didn’t give much consideration to the effect their work had on their hearing as they tried to make it the industry. Now, however, all three of these and many more are famously suffering from hearing loss, attributed largely to the effect of long-term exposure to loud noises such as those experienced at concerts or recording sessions.

Today, many young musicians are far more aware of the damage they can do to their hearing and are wearing specially made musicians’ ear plugs. Yes, it may not be the coolest thing to do but that ringing or buzzing you hear in your ears after a particularly loud concert can be a forerunner to permanent ear damage and it’s something you don’t want to happen to you if music is your career and your passion.

So why exactly do musician’s ear plugs help to prevent damage to your hearing? Well, unlike generic ear plugs they are specially designed to lower the volume of sound coming into your ears without actually distorting it, so it doesn’t affect your pitching or judgment. Although it costs a little more, it’s best to get them custom-made as they will then fit perfectly and be very comfortable, as well as offering you the maximum amount of protection possible.

If you are a musician, then wearing a pair of earplugs can allow you to hear your own instrument and blend with others seamlessly, which is vital for recording sessions or rehearsals. They can come with different levels of sound reduction and can last for years without the need for replacing. In addition to preventing cumulative ear damage, a good quality pair can also have other health benefits in that they will be self-cleaning and contain substances with the ability to kill dangerous and harmful bacteria such as MRSA or E.coli.

And it is not just the musicians themselves who can benefit from wearing these specially designed ear plugs. If you are a regular concert goer, work in a bar or perhaps work in other areas where you are constantly exposed to loud noise, such as construction, you should also consider buying a pair.

It can take a little time to adjust to wearing your ear plugs and getting used to the lower levels of sound, but many musicians have said that when wearing these they are actually able to hear their own instruments much more clearly and are also better able to hear the instruments of those around them.

Career Coaching – What Is It All About?

To dispel a common misconception, career coaching is very different from life coaching. A career coach is certainly not someone who is going to advice you on your private life. It is important to realise a career coach will focus on your job and the career path you are looking to take.

Career coaching is rapidly becoming very popular, especially in larger companies where human resource departments simply cannot manage the careers of an entire workforce. Instead, individuals are looking towards an executive career coach for help and advice with advancing in their careers.

There are several types of people who may want to turn to a career coach. An employee who has recently been made redundant may be seeking advice on how to get back into work as quickly as possible. Stats show that the longer a person is out of work, the more difficult it is for them to get back into employment. A career coach would advice on a best course of action for that individual as well as helping them to improve their CV and job application forms.

An executive career coach may help an employee who feels their career has stagnated. They could be at any point in their career, from graduates to senior manages. A career coach will offer advice on the next steps to take in order to push a person’s career forwards. This could include where to look for new jobs or how to impress management and bosses at an employee’s place of work.

A lot of what a career coach does is to help individuals realise their own skills and potential. A confident person will shine in a job application or in the place of work and career coaching is about encouraging such confidence. Helping people to realise their own achievements is often the thing that spurs people to go on to further success.

Career coaches aren’t just for people with specific directions either. Whilst it is by no means therapy, a coach will get to know a client to help them make up their own mind on where they want their career path to lead. Career coaches will sit down with clients and draw up clear, challenging but achievable short term and long term goals that really give a person direction.

The large companies are also becoming very interested in career coaching. As human resource departments realise they simply cannot manage the career welfare of every employee, companies are turning to career coaches and offering seminars and sessions to their employees. The idea is that motivated employees are more productive.

To conclude, career coaching is really a fusion of career advice and encouragement. Career coaching companies are claiming very positive results with their clients so if you’re feeling like a change in career or think you’ve hit a plateau at work, perhaps a little help is what you need!

Need Emergency Boiler Repair In Greenwich?

There’s nothing worse in the middle of winter than finding your boiler has packed in. With temperatures in London often well below freezing during the winter months, finding yourself suddenly without heat is no joke at all. The problem is, when boilers break down we often panic and call the number of the first engineer we happen upon. Finding a good engineer in such a big city can be difficult, and the risk with calling the first number you come across is that you may end up with someone who, seeing you are desperate, will charge you way beyond the standard rate.

First of all, you need to stop panicking and consider whether you actually have to call out an engineer at all. Whilst many boiler problems require an expert, if it is something simple then it’s possible you may be able to fix the problem yourself. After all, if you live in Greenwich, heating repairs can result in huge charges – particularly if the call-out is in the middle of the night.

For example, if your boiler breaking down is accompanied by loud banging sounds coming from your radiators, it may be that trapped air is the problem, in which case you might need to bleed them by opening them with a radiator key, or check that your water tank is full as the trapped air could be due to there not being enough water in the system.

If the problem can’t be fixed, then it is time to seek out a heating engineer. Sometimes the fastest way to do this in an emergency is online: Look up ‘Greenwich heating repairs ’ on a search engine and you will quickly find many websites hosting details of boiler engineers in your postcode. Whatever you do, though, don’t just call the first number you see. Check out your local engineers to see if other users have recommended them and above all, make sure they are fully certified.

If you don’t have access to the Internet then you can call directory enquiries to find out about local engineers – but this can be risky as you don’t always know about their credentials. Another option is to find out whether any friends or neighbours have recently had their boilers repaired and whether there is anyone they can recommend. It’s always best to go for a local Greenwich emergency boiler repairs company who has been recommended by a friend – but of course, in a real emergency you may not always have the time to do this. Whatever you choose, make sure the plumber shows you their ID card before they start the work, and if they can’t – however dire your emergency – then send them packing and call someone else. Never let an uncertified engineer loose on your boiler.

Keeping Your Home Gas Safe

If you are a homeowner then keeping your gas appliances safe and well-maintained is an absolute must – and indeed if you are a landlord it is a legal requirement. Unfortunately, many people wait until there is a breakdown before they call a gas engineer in, when what you should really be doing is ensuring regular checks are carried out and keeping an eye open at all times for any warning signs that something is wrong.

In addition to saving you money on emergency plumber or heating engineer call-outs, keeping an eye on the running of your gas appliances and plumbing will also ensure your home runs in an energy-efficient manner. For one thing, it’s a good idea to carry out regular checks on any visible pipes to ensure there are no signs of leakage or weakness.

It’s also important to regularly feel your radiators when they are on to make sure they are hot at both the top and the bottom. If they are not then they will probably need bleeding. With your taps, make sure they are not dripping at all and that your hot water is coming through properly and at the right temperature. If you are worried about anything and there is no obvious remedy, it may be time to call in an expert.

When it becomes time to call out a plumber for the regular checks on your pipes and appliances, you must make sure they are Gas Safe registered as Gas Safe is now the official registration scheme in the UK, having taken over from CORGI in April 2009. Any people who are working on or around gas appliances in the UK, Isle of Man or Guernsey are now required by law to be Gas Safe registered.

Also, go for a well-established local tradesman as they are less likely to charge you over the odds. This is particularly important if you live in a big city such as London where there will be far more plumbers to choose from, not all of them legitimate. For example, if you live in Greenwich, Gas Safe plumbers are relatively easy to come by. If at all possible, it is a good idea to find a local plumber who has been given a personal recommendation by a friend or acquaintance.

If, however, you don’t know anyone who can give you a personal recommendation for a plumber in the area then try online by typing in ‘Greenwich Gas Safe plumbers ’. This should yield you plenty of results, many of which will come rated by previous customers to give you some idea of the service they provide.