Fashion For Travel: Mail Order Holiday Clothes: Cape Blazers and white and pink or black blouses

I saw a girl on the Easyjet plane from the UK to Madeira. She was wearing a white cape blazer. Glamorous. Elegant. She was good enough to tell me where it came from. It was sold in white or black.

A cape blazer has a very strange construction. It's like a sleeveless jacket with a cape on top, fitted across the shoulders, with a large gap under the arms, and the cape extending the length of the arms.

Who do I rate tops
1 MANGO
White Cape Blazer
The Mango shop had only the white. I bought a Mango cape blazer in white in the sale at Funchal, capital of Madeira. When I got home I phoned their customer relations department to ask who had the black version. I eventually found the item available online in the UK, supposedly on sale but dearer than in the sale in Madeira - plus the postage.

I now knew the magic words to find what I wanted, cape blazer.

So I started hunting online on Amazon, eBay, Google, all over.

My verdict: Ten out of ten for style by Mango. Not so good on price, even in the sale. If travelling out of the UK, look for reduced prices in other countries.

Now that I have had other cape blazers, what can I say about Mango? Lined with a satin look lining. All stitching concealed. Hangs neatly, uncreased. Light yet thick. I went back and inspected it again. The reason it hands so well is that cape part is lined, as well as the body fitted sleeveless under jacket.

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2 LAVISH ALICE
Burgundy Wine Cape Blazer
They also sell a cape blazer dress and split-front trousers (Americans say pants) and a cape blazer trouser suit.

I bought a second-hand Lavish Alice cape blazer from eBay in a huge size in wine colour. It was wonderful. I am now a fan of Lavish Alice Clothes.
A Lavish Alice cape Blazer was advertised at £27 by Asos Aug 30 2018 but out of stock.

It is lined.

It buttoned across the front so it stayed on. It hangs well.


The shoulders are not rounded but an angular design, but with the lining softening the shoulders, it seems to hang okay.
The label says the silky lining is polyester elastane like the main fabric. Do not iron. Do not dry clean. That'll save some people a bit of money.
Wash dark colours separately. Reshape whilst damp.

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3 MISSGUIDED
White Cape Blazer
Note the name is miss as in Miss not misguided as in the adjective.
I bought a white cape blazer, very inexpensive, from ebay. It was a size 8 and I thought, that's much too small. But the price was cheap. I might be able to alter it.

I bid. I won.

The garment had a matching belt with a buckle. I eventually located the two slots for the buckle, not protruding tabs, slots. This holds the jacket in place, No flopping about. The belt creates a sleeker line - if you are slim. (If you are overweight you just emphasize your large booms. The metal-edged belt holes were generous enough in number to allow me to do up the belt even though the garment is size 8 and I am size 16.

The bodice part is lined, but not the cape. The shoulder is properly inset with curves and pintucks.

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4 WHITEBIRD
White cape blazer. Large. Unlined. Shoulders with proper curved inset. I cannot find a website. I bought from ebay.


5 RUIYIGE
Pink cape blazer with red flower applique and button at neck.
Also comes in black and white.
The black would probably show the creases less, especially at night.This is sold on eBay by Twenga, Shopper.com and Shoptart.

On my screen the photo looks a slightly blueish pale pink. It's actually a more bright salmon colour.


RUIYIGE
Cape (rather than cape blazer).

I had expected a cape blazer and was initally disappointed with the cut and quality. It kept slipping off my shoulders, so I tied it up. Then I was much happier. Like a cape blazer it leaves your arms free. you might like to wear it with a long sleeve plain white top.

Square or T shape cut on shoulders. Single layer, no lining. You must turn back the two front vertical edges to hide the stitching.

 LILIGAL
Pink and white blouse
I kept typing lilgal, maybe because I am a little (short) girl.

Pink and White Blouse
Pink pintuck colour block blouse, button up.
This has a diagonal line, pink lower half, white sleeves and white pintuck top, pearly pink button with four holes sunk in the middle.
The back is half pink and half white as you can see from the left shoulder, on the right of the picture.

Liligal pink and white blouse with pintucks and pink buttons. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

$31.11 American dollars.
Lovely garment. Plenty room enough, with large sleeves and generous cut.

Not as glamorous on me as on the slim model. A slimmer fitting might have been more flattering. I ordered XXL large because so many garments are too small.

(I've had garments which were too small from China and from Patra in the UK, my favourite. In Singapore I bought satin reversible jackets and had to buy triple X to get them to fit over a sleeved dress or blouse.)

 I tried my Liligal blouse over a sleeveless dress and it still fitted.

The feel was great. Soft and stretchy. I wanted to wear it straight away.
Free returns.

I tried to give a review on their website but kept running into problems so I thought I would review it here.

I am now prepared to order the black version of the blouse, a size smaller.
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Problems
Will items arrive in time for my holiday? Will they fit and match my other garments? What if I want to send it back?

Answers
These have been some of my recent experiences. Allow time.

Useful websites:
lavishalice.com
liligal.com
mango.com
http://missguided.co.uk
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/08/how-could-ebay-improve-customer.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
See my other posts covering eBay and Prolady cape blazer, Mail Order, Madeira. Please share links to your favourite posts.

How To Keep Clothes Clean At Dinner - Handy Tip Learned Whilst Travelling

Problem
How do you keep your shirt or blouse front clean?

Answer
I was dining at the Tanglin Club in Singapore when I noticed a man had a diamond shape white napkin attached to the front of his shirt. I thought, "How does he attache that?"

Obviously, had had to have attached the top of the napkin to the top button of his shirt. You can buy devices, silver plated clips like large safety pins or hair clips. But his was attached to a button. I thought: the only way he can do that is if the napkin has a buttonhole.

I looked at the nearest napkin and, to my surprise, found that it had a buttonhole in one corner. I checked another napkin. So did the others on my table and the next table.

Clearly, you can buy napkins, or order them to be made with a logo for a large organisation such as a hotel or a club, with buttonholes.

Buttonhole. Photo from Wikipedia. User Maksim.

DIY Buttonholes
If you were handy you could make your own napkin with a button hole and carry it with you.

If you made your own clothes or had a shirt made, you could ask for a spare square of fabric to be made with a buttonhole.

You can add a buttonhole to your exisiting set of table napkins if you have a buttonhole attachment on your sewing machine.

Failing all else, make a buttonhole the old-fashioned way. You cut a slit the width of the button or just slightly larger. Sew the two edges with tight bottonhole stitch, with long  overseweing at both ends of the hole to seurue the button hole against tearing. The usual way is to draw the button hole in pencil or wipe-off tailor's chalk. Sew the two sides of the buttonholer first (keep the cotton attahced and don't sew the wisdes seaparately but proceed clockwise so you have no loose endds. It is safer to cut the centre out last, but this requires care.

If you have never hand-sewn a buttonole before, practise on another piece of fabric first. Using the same colour cotton as the fabric lookes neater. If you don't have matching cotton, you might be able to pull out a loose thread from a seam. Alternatively be bold and if you sew neatly, use a contrasting colour.

DIY buttonholes
Some modern sewing machines have an automatic button hole sewing computirised mechanism. It is not as complicated as it sounds. You may have to attach a buttonhole device around the needle. You simpley screw this on to the place behind the needle for attachments. The device forms a barrier. the needle does button hole stitch along to the end of the designated area. You turn the fabric. You might need to reverse stitch a couple of stitches to secure the loose end of your thread. You don't need to do this full speed. You can do it slowly, one thread at a time, turning the wheel on the side of the machine and turning the needle up and down by hand.

Buying or 'Borrowing'
You could buy a napkin with a buttonhole from a hotel or club which has some. The chances are that if you offer to pay the head housekeeper will tell you, "Just take it".

I would only take something if I had been told it was ok to do so. You would not want the embarrassment of being challenged for having gone off with a napkin. Nor would I want to take something which would ruin my reputation, or damage the establishment's set or their profit for the week or year or even bring their staff under suspicion.

Thinking about it, a heavy napkin might pull off a button or hang heavily on a modern woman's lightweight blouse or dress. However, it is more likely to be supported by a heavyweight man's shirt with a stiff collar.

Tips and Tricks For Travellers
That is one of the joys of travelling and visiting new places. As the saying goes, learn something new every day.

Club Visits
If you are not a member of the Tanglin club, how could you get to visit it? See next post.

Useful Websites

visitsingapore.com
signaporeair.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. I have other posts on the Tanglin club and other clubs.

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Please see my other blogs and share links with your friends

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

How To Emulate Beryl's Beautiful Blouses

Problem
Where does she get them?

Answer
I don't know. But she has at least two gorgeous blouses, probably several.

She works at Fishguard Bay Hotel in Fishguard Bay, in the north west of Wales.

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

What do I like about the blouse? Everything. 

1It is pretty. 

2 It looks elegant. 

3 It co-ordinates with her black and white outfit.

4 Tee colour has contrasting, striking black edging. The effect is created by a second slightly larger collar in black underneath. You can buy a false black collar  or double black and white collar from China on Ebay. Add it to any blouse or to sew on the neck of a jumper. You need a plain item because an unco-ordinated false collar looks wrong. 

Useful Websites

Visitwales.com

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g2067430-d320230-Reviews-Fishguard_Bay_Hotel-Goodwick_Fishguard_Pembrokeshire_Wales.html

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Women-Fake-False-Collar-Choker-Necklace-Detachable-Shirt-Blouse-Collar-Bib-Lapel-/

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Quick Ways To Learn Welsh for: new, school, hat and more

Problem
I am already learning Welsh on Duolingo. How can I go faster?

Answer
List the words - with a memory aid. Then practise.
Go back and redo the lessons every couple of days to reinforce them.

Here are today's words:

English - Welsh
(Spaces inserted because automatic speller keeps changing my words.)
belt - g w r e g y s (memory aid - Good Wide Regulation Yellow Strap - visualise a Japanese obi or a martial arts belt)
blouse - blows
clothes - d i l l a d (I think of don't DILL y DA l l y, put clothes in cupboArD. d i l l a d.)
coat - cot
half slip - p a i s (letter h A l  f  S l I P - PA IS)
hat - het
new - n e w y d d
scarf - s g a r f f
school - y s g o l
suit - s i w t
tie - t e i
trousers - t r o w s u s

Welsh - English
blows - blouse
c o t - coat
d i l l a d - clothes
g  w r e g y s - belt
h e t - hat
n e w y d d - new
p a i s - half slip
s g a r f f - scarf
s i w t - suit
t e i - tie
t r o w s u s - trousers
y s g o l - school

Tips
Free learning on the internet:
www.duolingo.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have several posts on learning Welsh and other languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.

French Words of the Day

The modern epaulette makes a garment look smart, or like an official uniform. Can be worn in the military (army, air force, navy), police, cowboys.

epaule - shoulder
epaulette - tab on shoulder to hold gloves, from military part of uniform for officers
related to the Latin word spatula from blade, the shoulder bone

An epaulette can be decorative, show official rank by colour or the addition of a braid or badge, and/or be practical.
Nowadays an arrow shape piece of cloth on the shoulder of jackets with the V shape painting towards the nearest arm, held by a button which can sometimes be unbuttoned, which can be used to hold gloves, or on a ladies blouse or coat to secure a scarf at both sides.

Angela Lansbury, author, speaker, teacher.