Pickpocket-Proof Clothing Shows New Designs, Colours and Comments

I am a great fan of pockets, concealed pockets, and pickpocket-proof clothing.

I am on the mailing list of clothing arts so get to see all their updates and read their site religiously, including the users' comments.

Colours
I notice that they now have the women's 'shirt' in navy as well as black and what I would call sand colour. That's great. Neutral colours which go with everything. But I do get fed up with black. When I was teaching English at a school in Singapore, the head teacher told me the pupils complained that I wore black and white every day. They wanted me to wear brighter colours, such as red on Monday, Orange or pink on Tuesday, Yellow on Wednesday. Blue on Thursday. Green on Friday.

I had a red, white and black clothes colour scheme as a travel writer, so that everything I wore and packed co-ordinated with everything else. My edito,r who travelled with his entourage of writer and photographer on travel rpess trips, told me, 'I am tired of seeing you in red. Wear another colour - any other colour.'

Pockets
One of the reviewers pointed out that the woman's shirt had only one pocket whilst the man's version had two.

How irritating. I hate single pockets. I never use single pockets. I forget they are there. High single pockets are silly if you have any shape. Left empty, they look lopsided. Filled, they give you a lopsided bust.

One of the reviewers points out that the pocket is not big enough to fsten over a passport. The reply is that you are supposed to wear the shirt with their (matching or contrasting) skirts or pants. (In the UK we say trousers).

Hm. Not everybody can afford both - or even one.

Cost and Offers
If you are strapped for cash they frequently do money off offers. As the lines of colours and items available expands, I look forward to more choices.

https://www.clothingarts.com/

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

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.

***

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.

***

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.

***

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.
***
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.

Travelling To Success Like Marco Pierre White - No Qualifications - Training as A Chef

I was emailed about Marco Pierre White appearing at the Taste of London Festival in Regents Park, London, England. I said to myself, er, remind me, which restaurant is he associated with? I looked him up on the internet expecting to find him on Wikipedia but went straight to his own page.

The first photo was a bit off putting. Something white which looked like a cigarette was in his mouth. Maybe not. I persisted. Had to know.

Then comes the big bang surprise. He has been the apprentice of, or colleague of, or boss of, a whole slew of world famous chefs. Such as Blumenthal (of the Fat Duck). They have all or mostly worked in Michelin starred restaurants, and words 'world's youngest' keep cropping up.

Finally, the real message of hope. He says, "I left school with no qualifications."

Wow. What an achievement. What a success story. Not Cinderella or rags to riches but no qualifications to known worldwide chef. That is one of the answers I've been looking for. What can you do if you have no qualifications?

Worldwide the answers are to make clothes, sell food, sell goods, work in construction. But being a trainee chef has extra possibilities.

I had already discovered at food fairs that you can join the army or navy or merchant navy as an apprentice chef. What are the advantages of life on board ship? That's where to do if you want to see the world and be part of a community. (See one of my previous posts.)

In America you need never be unemployed if you are willing to work in a fast food outlet such as McDonalds. I should have said you need never go hungry.

I think the worst thing is to sit around unemployed. If you are employed you meet people, both staff and customers. You learn about the world. I now have something to say to those who have no qualifications. I now have the basis for a speech at Toastmasters Clubs worldwide.

I think if you are an extravert you would prefer to be a waiter or bar person. If you are an introvert you might prefer to create in the kitchen and deal with inanimate objects. (If you are afraid of the heat and burning yourself, stick to specialising in salads, fruits, and cold desserts and cold buffets.)

If you have a young relative or friend who has no qualifications, they might go to cookery school and discover their forte.

It is a skill, a job, a source of pride, something you can say about yourself. And you will never go hungry. You can cook for yourself. You can make a dish for a dinner party and always be a welcome guest.

If you want to see Marco Pierre White or visit his hotels, these are useful links:

www.marcopierrewhite.co

Mark your diary now
Taste Of London 15-19 June 2016.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.