How to Book a Group Holiday

Hello everybody,
Today I'm going to talk about booking group holidays. As you may know from my previous travel diaries, I have a case of the travel bug. I love to experience new places and I mainly go with just Ben. Now, it's not hard to organise two people and since my boyfriend rarely has any input (probably for his own good anyway), I find it really easy to plan a trip with him. However, this year I decided to go on a group holiday to Berlin and it is the most difficult thing to try and organise! Here are my dos and don'ts of group holiday bookings:

• Do have an idea of where you want to go
• Don't ask everybody for their personal ideal destination (they will have conflicting ideas)
• Do be open to people's opinions/experiences of cities
• Don't disregard what others think
• Do be open to more people coming
• Don't make it an open invite (I know this is a contradiction of the last point, but when I say be open to others coming, I mean girlfriends, other close friends etc., but an open invite would mean practically anyone could come but this is a disaster for organisation)
• Do book it all together, but with separate names on the bookings (book in twos or threes)
• Don't leave it up to everyone when they book it. They might not be able to get the same flights/hotel etc.
• Do keep in mind everyone's budget
• Don't amend the holiday for one person/couple.
• Do - all pay the same amount.
• Don't split payment up in order of bookings etc. We have a person in a single room and why would it be fair if they paid £310 when everyone else was paying £220?
• Do - if everyone's booking on one person's card - make sure you transfer the money FIRST
• Don't agree to pay for someone as a loan. This seems mean, but if they can't afford it now, they will be unlikely to afford it in the near future and also unlikely to want to pay for attractions while there.
• Do take into account everybody's interests. If somebody really hates museums, don't have a whole day dedicated to them - just do one or two
• Don't plan it hour by hour. Having an idea of what you want to do is good, but there is no way you'll be able to stick to an hourly schedule if there's more than 4 of you.
• Do keep all boarding passes together and well organised.
• Don't leave everyone with their own - one person is bound to lose theirs.
• Do be laid back and enjoy your holiday!

All of these dos and don'ts are mainly for group holiday city breaks as opposed to a beach holiday to Zante. Some of them cross over, the booking side for example, but it's not as important that people have the same interests on a beach holiday as a city. You don't have to walk around in a big group all the time, if one half wants to see a cathedral and the other half want to go shopping, agree on a meeting time and place and split up for a while.
Fortunately, my holiday booking all seems to be going well and everyone appears to be really excited for everything we're going to do.
Hopefully this helped you on booking your group holidays - I'll be sharing more tips closer to the time! And I'm super excited to explore this place!

 

CJ x

#DearMe - A letter to my teenage self

Happy International Women's Day everybody! This is something really close to my heart as I am a firm believer in equality. International Women's Day has been around since the early 20th Century and it has been radically gaining popularity ever since. Now the day is an official holiday in over 25 countries! That's crazy! All to celebrate the change in the way in which the world perceives women.
I have decided to jump on the bandwagon and do the Dear Me hashtag by writing a letter to my teenage self and hopefully this will help some of the younger readers learn from my own mistakes!

Dear Me,
Don't change yourself just to fit in.
You don't have to hide the fact that you're capable of getting good grades in school for the fear of people making fun of you and calling you a geek. If these people really were your friends, then they should be supportive of you rather than tearing you down. I had a terrible time with this in school. I remember being placed in all the top sets but none of my old friends were and they would make fun of me constantly for it, so I just felt so down all the time. Actually, I remember trying to change this and trying to make friends with some people in my classes, but they wouldn't be friends with me because I was friends with the other people and I was too scared to speak out for myself. If I'd have known then what I know now, I would have never intentionally tried to get bad grades in school so I could move down sets (don't do it - it doesn't work, and you end up regretting it). I would have never skipped classes and hung around with the 'cool kids' if I knew they didn't care about me.

Dear Me,
Do not always put the needs of others before your own.
Yes, it is important to help people and charity work, tutoring, having your part time job - that's all great. But don't get to the point where you're sacrificing your own well-being to please others. Mainly because these other people that you are trying so hard to please, they won't care anyway. I massively messed up my a-levels when I was 18 because I was working full-time at a bar. You know why?! My assistant manager stole all the money we'd saved up for our staff weekend away, the money out of the till and most of the stock. To make matters worse, my manager had a newborn baby and didn't get his paternity leave. So I did what I thought everyone else would do in my situation and sacrificed EVERYTHING. I thought I could handle it, but I couldn't. I thought everything was going to turn out ok, and it did, but it's taken years to fix.

Dear Me,
Don't be ashamed of what you look like.
Right now, you are 5'0 while everyone around you is growing, you have wavy/frizzy strawberry blonde hair which all of your "friends" swear is ginger, you wear round glasses with thick lenses, you have braces, you're chubby, you haven't developed yet but somehow you're still getting spots. Do not worry about it. You aren't going to look like this forever. Put the bottle of bleach down, put the awful £3 fake tan down. The people that peak in high school don't usually stay that way. Some people transform, loads of girls at my school did and they're better people for the fact that they didn't think they were the 'fit' ones in high school. Nothing is worse than arrogance. You don't have to diet or dye your hair. You are perfect just the way you are.

Dear Me,
It's OK to be different!
Just a reiteration of my previous points. So what if all of your friends are starting to smoke and you have asthma? At least you don't have a gritty voice and yellow teeth now. So what if you want to play the classical guitar? So what if you never grow? Nobody else sees you as any less of a person for these things, so why should you? If I could tell myself where I was going to be if I'd have tried harder in school, if I hadn't dropped out of the drama school or cheerleading. Who knows where I could be right now?

This was a slightly emotional post to write as there are so many things I wish I was able to tell my younger self. But she probably wouldn't listen anyway. So I'm telling my nieces, my next door neighbour's daughter, I'm telling you. My hope is that we can create a world where nobody is ashamed of being who they are. You define yourself, nobody else does. Do not go around pretending you're something that you aren't. You are unique and different and that's great! This is for the next generation; you are perfect,

Love, CJ x

For inspiration, this is a picture of my 15 year old self. This is when I was starting to change, but still feeling self conscious about everything. I loved hats so I bought this one, but as you can see I'm still rocking the Henley's jumper that I never really liked. I was always afraid of people finding out my real taste in music so I used to fake it and pretend I liked things when I really didn't. Thus the peace sign. Sigh. At least I tried.






For more on #DearMe, created by youtube, check out this video complied of some of the most inspiring youtubers from around the world.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! What would you all say to your younger selves if you had the chance? Do you think life would have turned out differently? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @milliegordonx
P.S. I really would have loved to have made a youtube video on this topic but I just didn't have the time or the equipment to get it ready in time for International Women's Day. Maybe next year!
CJ x

International Women's Day website.

2015s Top Travel Destinations

OK people. Leave London, Paris and New York aside. You can visit those at any point in your life. Here are my 20 most sought after destinations of 2015. These are not only the locations that I personally want to go to, but some of these destinations are getting much hype in the up and coming months. Book tickets while you can, I expect everybody will be on the bandwagon by next year! And seeing as this is the busiest two weeks of the year to book a trip, you might need some last minute inspo. Let's begin ...

Europe

Berlin, Germany There's something about Berlin, a newly reunited city that was once split in two, it has risen out of the ashes o WWII and completely reinvented itself. The street style in Berlin is truly edgy and cool, much in the way of khaki and leather, what's not to love? Museum Island is not to be missed, and all of the history surrounding Berlin is truly unique. It also happens to be one of the best cities in Europe for nightlife and drinking, this year being the 65th anniversary of Oktoberfest in Berlin, beer anybody?

 

 

 

 
Stockholm, Sweden I absolutely love the idea of Stockholm. Scandinavian chic all the way. It's a city which consists of loads of tiny islands and some seriously cool people. If you're looking for some Viking-esque history and incredibly beautiful people, Stockholm is the place to be. Not to mention that I hear it has some of the best undiscovered food in Europe and tonnes of great shopping.

 

Prague, Czech Republic This is the one place on my list that I have actually been too and I can vouch that in summer or in winter, Prague is like a picturesque Eastern European fairytale. It was one of the cities that was left relatively unscathed by WWII (talking about architecture only) but it has been left with some scars over the past century or so. Only rising out of communism 25 years ago, this city is incredible. The castle is over 1000 years old and there is surprising beauty around every corner (as well as the biggest nightclub in Europe!) Check out my Prague blog here.

 

Milan, Italy This year Milan is the host of the expo 2015. There will be fairgrounds, special exhibitions and FOOD. There will be tons of new, tasty food to try out. What more could you ask for? Milan is spectacular all year round, it's Italy's capital of style. Take in the Gothic architecture and of course, all the works of art there!

Bath, UK Although Britain has many beautiful cities and more history than it knows what to do with, I'm not really sure that any city can compete with Bath. It has one of the world's most well looked after Roman bathhouses and loads of stunning Georgian architecture. Plus the cobbled streets are littered with many cute coffee shops for you to sit back and people watch in.
 

 

Norway. Do you wanna build a snowman?! You guessed it! Frozen is based in Norway, and everyone loves Frozen, right? But in all seriousness, Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. All right, it's not particularly warm, but it has spectacular views that you can only dream of. Breathtaking fjords, fantastic hikes and the Northern Lights if you're lucky! Oslo is also one of the most chilled-out capitals and everyone is so friendly.

 

Malta. A Mediterranean paradise island. The capital of Valletta has over 500 years of history into such a small space! The streets of Valletta pack in cathedrals, palaces and wonderful views of the harbour. This place has the best parts of a city break and a summer holiday all in one!

 


Croatia This one is for all of my Game of Thrones fans out there (including me). Croatia is seriously stunning, if you fancy kicking it back in King's Landing, head on over to Dubrovnik to make your fantasies of the show come true. Croatia is the new Greece in sense that it's 'another day, another island'. I love the idea that it's towns are all walled-in and alleyways have hundreds of stone steps, not to mention the iridescent blue of the Adriatic sea. I'll be seeing you soon, Croatia!
 

Other Adriatic Locations Although beautiful, Croatia has become insanely expensive this year compared to recent years Joining the EU really helped them out as they have caught on that they are a top holiday destination now. BUT if you fancy Adriatic beauty without the ridiculous pricetag, head on over to the neighbouring countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro. Both stunning, both quiet, both are not to be missed. Bet you didn't know how beautiful they were, right?

 

North America

Toronto, Canada Everyone goes to New York, but not everyone experiences Toronto, now THE most multiculturally diverse city in the world. Yes, you read that right, Toronto. It has a skyline to envy all major cities and neighbourhoods with residents from all over the globe. Here you'll experience more cultures, foods, flowers, shopping than ever before. Plus, Niagra Falls is only a day trip away if you fancy some natural beauty.

 

Washington D.C, USA The capital of the United States is set to be a huge tourist destination over the upcoming years. With more monuments and memorials than people (not really, but you know what I mean), there's always something to discover in DC. Check out the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and a Mall like you've never experienced before. Plus loads of great legendary home-grown eateries and used book stores to lose yourself in.

 

New Orleans, USA New Orleans is a place which has forever been a dream of mine. There's something about the infusion of the Deep South, France, Britain and Jazz that has attracted me (and the seafood). Embrace the cultures, take a stroll along the river and enjoy the sunshine.

 

Cuba. Cuba is making history at the moment, and what comes soon after that? Tourists. Reduced travel restrictions make it easier than ever to visit this beautiful, colourful Caribbean location. Spend time wandering the streets of Havana, or chill out on the beach. Cuba has it all. Not to mention that it's the 500th anniversary of Santiago de Cuba, which means a week long carnival in July!
 

South America

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil I'm just going to say it, you are never going to catch this city at a better time than the next two years. Directly in between hosting the World Cup and the Olympic Games, Rio has had some serious impact on the globe. From it's glorious mountains to it's controversial beaches, it really is a city of understated beauty. This city was made to be explored.
 

Asia

Vietnam Fancy Thailand this year? Try Vietnam instead, equally exotic and extraordinary just without as many tourists (and ladyboys). Vietnam has some breath taking natural beauty in its mountains, beaches, forests and rivers. The river cruises are apparently unmissable. And Thai food should envy Vietnamese food, it's that good.

 

Oman No, I'm serious. I've heard so much speculation about Oman becoming a top destination in the near future and my advice is get there and experience it the way it is while you can. Although Abu Dhabi and Dubai are amazing and unmissable, they don't really represent the true Arabian country anymore as it seems the cities are fuelled by wealth, and if I do say so, greed. Whereas Oman is still as it always was as lonely planet says 'Oman is the perfect destination for those seeking out the modern face of Arabia while still wanting to sense its ancient soul'.

 

Singapore One of the world's smallest countries, with one of the world's best airports. Singapore is seen as a gateway to the east for many European travellers. It merges the best of the Asian and Western cultures into one incredible city/country. Singapore zoo has been picked as one of the world's best and the botanical gardens and the nature reserve are a great way of escaping the buzz of the city.

 

Indonesia Indonesia has thousands of islands, hundreds of languages spoken and the most incredible scenery all in one county. With beaches and volcanoes to visit, Indonesia certainly isn't short of things to do or places to go. Plus Bali is a hugely sought after destination right now, experience it while you can.

Australasia

New Zealand Now that the Hobbit trilogy is officially over (I'm all right, I swear), there has never been a better time to visit New Zealand. It's a country where both English and Australian natives can find themselves at home, although in unfamiliar territory. One of my cousins went to New Zealand 10 years ago and never looked back. Why would he? With such breath taking scenery and welcoming people, I can see why New Zealand is well loved.

 

Africa

Gambia Once again, I'm serious. Despite The Gambia being Africa's smallest country, it is most certainly making an impact on the tourism market. 5* resorts on gorgeous Atlantic beaches are emerging amongst the wildlife life parks out there. It appears to be the perfect way to ease yourself into the African culture, and heat. The markets and nature are out of this world.

 

 

 

 

So there are my top 20 destinations of 2015. Yes, they are a little different and off the beaten track, but, I can bet that these will be the places that everyone will be raving about in a few years. Croatia might be the next Santorini, Singapore the next Bangkok ... you never know. If you have been to any of these places let me know if you enjoyed them in the comments, or even if you're going this year. I'd love to know about everyone's adventures.

Happy travelling

CJ x

 

 

 

Disclaimer: none of these pictures are my own. I wish they were though.

How to Stay/Get Organised

Let's talk about organisation.
I know there are thousands of you that just don't know how to keep up on tasks, or even how to tackle them to begin with. I used to be one of those people, I never used to do anything and I would always be late for things. Being disorganised would lead to me being so stressed out and I just felt frustrated and busy a lot of the time. But now, I'd say I'm quite an organised person, borderline obsessively organised person.
I'm not claiming to be perfect in any way, I do still drop the ball on a few tasks and I still leave things till the last minute! But my tasks are much more manageable when I stick to my system. Everything has a place and there's a place for everything so to say (although my bedroom is still a mess, but we can ignore that).
In the way of work, or makeup or clothes. My stuff is sorted out just the way I like it and I always know what I have to do. Therefore, I have devised some tips to help you manage tasks more efficiently too!

1. To do lists
I have to have a to-do list at all times. And although it constantly has 20 things on it, I still feel so much better for having it. I even have to-do lists for different areas of my life. I have a University list (sigh, my longest one), a general life list - which reminds me, I need to put windscreen wash in my car! - and a travel list so I know what needs doing before my next trip. You can either write these down in a notebook (my next point), grab yourself a memo or sticky notes pad, or download one of the list apps - these can even sync to your emails and let you know your deadlines! It also helps to have a little memo pad lying around to write these lists on! 


2. Notebook
This is something that I have only recently used religiously, I bought a nice new paperchase one just to motivate me to use it more. In here I have more lists - upcoming blogposts, places I want to see on my next trip, makeup I need to try etc. It's a really good way of having all of your thoughts and ideas in one place so you don't forget them!

3. Diary
I have always loved having a planner for school/college/university. I also put any birthdays I may forget in there. Not only are my deadlines in my diary. but I put in reminders for the week before just so I'm sure I won't forget! If it's possible, write your academic timetable or your work's rota in your diary too and put any extras in there as well.

Notebook, Diary and Memo Pad all from paperchase

4. Colour code
These are two words that I absolutely live by. Pretty much everything in my life is either colour coded, or it's organised by colour in some way. All of my modules at university have a coloured folder and I write my notes down for each topic corresponding to that colour. That way, when it comes to revision, I can easily know what I need. My lipsticks and even my to do lists are colour coded too.  (I know, I'm a little insane)

5. Separate.
An extension of my last point would be to separate chunks of things. This means have a different folder for every subject at school. Organise your wardrobe so that summer clothes are on one side and winter on another. If you can't do that, put coats and jackets in one place, then jumpers, tops, pants, skirts, dresses, playsuits and accessories all following.

Multicoloured folders £2.99 each at whsmith

6. Tackle the most difficult/most urgent task first
Say you have about 20 things to do for school, and one of them is reading a 60 page chapter, and it takes you forever to read. Do that task first. If you don't, finishing the other tasks won't be as satisfying as you still have that pain lingering over you.

7. Break up tasks into manageable parts
For my music exams, I have to learn 3 classical pieces. I should be able to go from terrible to confident in around 100-150 plays. However, I'm not going to sit down a few nights before an exam and play a piece 100 times. I usually like to break it up into either 20 plays a week or 5 plays a day. With each day, I see an improvement. Life is a marathon, not a sprint!

8. Don't hoard
This covers quite a few areas. My grandma is a massive hoarder. She has all of my dads old schoolbooks and wanted to keep mine too, but there were just too many and I had to keep them. Once you are finished with something, don't hold on to it! If you got an A in your first maths exam, you don't need your core 1 past papers any more. If you've lost a bit of weight, you don't need your bigger clothes any more. Once you've finished a product, you need to throw it away, no matter how pretty the bottle is (this is tough for me personally).

9. Make note of other people's routines
This isn't absolutely necessary but I find it helps me a lot with my work. Just because you are organised doesn't mean that other people are, or even, you could double book yourself. You need to know who can help you out in that situation. You don't have to religiously memorise what others are doing, but just take notice of when people are in university or work.

10. Reward yourself and make time to relax
Not to be confused with procrastination, it's important to make time for yourself too. If all you think about is how much work you're going to have to do, then you're going to stress. You need to reward yourself for doing these tasks. My favourite is if I read a chapter of one of my law books, then I can read a chapter of a fictional book. Or if I get all of my seminar prep done, then I can reward myself with a bath instead of a shower. And of course, new shoes every time I get an essay finished.

There are 10 tips to help you get or stay organised! I'm not saying you have to do all of these things to be organised, but these definitely help me out! These are just general tips that can be transferred into any area of life but if you'd like me to do specific organisational tips on work, finances, home or your mind, let me know and I would be happy to do so!
Happy organising!
CJ x

New Year's Resolutions

Hello to all the readers of 2015 and a very happy new year!
I, like many others, set myself goals for the new year, and I fail in the first month every year too. So I have devised some tips for me to stick to my resolutions and I thought I'd share them with you! Hope these help

1. Be realistic
The first of January is just like any other day, and 70% of people who set goals in the new year fail before the month has ended. So set resolutions that you are fully capable of achieving, It's great to have big plans and high expectations but make sure they are realistic in reaching. You may not drop 3 dress sizes in a few months, but you can motivate yourself to move more!

2. Visualise your goals
Make sure you can see what you want, picture it, remember it, and this will help. If your goal is to visit new countries and experience new things; print out pictures of the places you want to visit! Buy travel guides and read reviews, this will drive your passion for it.

3. Write them down
I feel so much more organised and motivated if something I need to do is written down. I love to make shopping lists, to do lists, life goal lists as this helps me remember just what I need to do. Invest in a notebook, this will be a life saviour if you're anything like me.

4. Do it step by step
Go with the saying 'life is a marathon, not a sprint' If you're planning on going to the gym for 2 hours every single day after a year of slacking off, you're going to burn out. Start small and build it up, this will be better for your physical and mental health. This works for all types of resolutions, not just fitness ones. Slow and steady wins the race! (and doesn't quit)

5. Write down your progress
Like writing down your initial goals, maybe track them every week. I personally want to run a mile faster, so a good thing for me to do would be to keep track of my times so I can really see my hard work paying off.

6. Focus on positives, not negatives
For example, if you're going to learn a language don't sit there thinking 'it's too hard, I can't do this'. Instead, turn it around and say 'I didn't know this phrase last week' Your knowledge/capacity will expand every week. You are so much more than you were yesterday, keep growing.

7. Get others involved
Two is better than one! If you know somebody else who wants a new start in a certain area, ask them to join you in your goals. I'm currently doing a 30 day challenge with my best friend, and it's so much more fun with somebody else

8. Make good choices/investments
Say you want to learn an instrument, invest in an instructional book or even a few beginners lessons as opposed to trying to learn from the internet or self-teach. Equally important is to make sure you invest your time. If you're really serious, make the investment and it'll pay off!

9. Build on your goals
As you're busy achieving one goal, why not throw in another? If you're doing well at the gym, make your diet healthier. The two may work together and motivate you more!

10. Reward yourself
Don't get too busy worrying about the next step, celebrate how far you've come, admire your achievements. With every huge step, treat yourself (new makeup anybody?)

There you have it! I hope these tips helped, I know not everybody sets New Year's Resolutions, but why not? We all have our weaknesses and we all have something we need to change. Cut down on smoking or shopping, learn a language, travel more, or even just say yes to more things and enjoy 2015 everybody!
CJ x

Gift Guide for Him

Following my gift guide for her, I thought I'd write a gift guide for him as men are SO difficult to buy for. Once again, I understand that not every man is in to these type of gifts and not every man will even appreciate these gifts (my boyfriend included - seriously, how do you buy for guys?!) Here's a quick and basic gift guide for the last minute Christmas scramblers out there.

Socks - Tompan (3 for £7)

  - Very standard Christmas gift here, but who doesn't love getting socks for Christmas? I personally love receiving socks, even Dumbledore saw himself receiving socks in the Mirror of Erised. EVERYBODY LOVES SOCKS. I especially love the Topman ones at this time of year, they're so Christmassy and cute

Gloves - Topman (£12)

 - Everybody has to have gloves in the winter, especially in these cold snaps! These topman gloves are perfect for Christmas/winter. They're fairisle print but still monochrome so they don't look too festive. They're also touch screen friendly, winner!

The party book(s)  - Drinking games (£5.99) and Never Have I Ever Book (£6.99) - Asos 

 - These are for the lad at university, or even the lad who just enjoys the occasional pre-drinking session with his mates (or indeed, wife and neighbours). These little books have endless laughs and games in them and would be great as stocking fillers!

Cards Against Humanity - Amazon (£20)

- To elaborate on the drinking games, this game brings out the sinister side in us all. The aim of the game is to be as offensive as possible (and intentionally). A definite highlight of any house party, you can't go wrong with this. (Unless you're giving it to your grandma).

Wallet and cardholder set - Ted Baker @ Asos (£45)

- This set is gorgeous! Matte black (and offered in brown too). It is 100% real leather so maybe not ideal for the vegans out there. However, it would make a great gift for a man of any age (unless they're prone to losing their wallets!) In my opinion, it's such a bargain too!

Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera (Black) - Urban Outfitters (£80)

- I LOVE polaroid cameras. There's something about taking a picture and then seeing it print out then and there, this mini polaroid from Fujifilm makes a great main present for a man. It's easily transportable, it automatically determines the best brightness and has automatic flash. It does require instant coloyr film and the print-outs though.

ClarinsMen Grooming Essentials Kit - Boots (£38)

- This is an essential starter kit for those men just getting in to high-end grooming. Comes with a moisture balm, an exfoliating cleanser, a smooth shave and an anti-fatigue eye serum. Buying the kit also saves you £30! Yes!

Happy Plugs Gold Headphones - Urban Outfitters (£25)

- These in-ear headphones are from the Swedish Brand Happy Plugs, and designed in Stockholm! Scandinavian brands seem to be taking the fashion industry by storm at the moment so I had to include one in the gift guide. These headphones come with a built in microphone and are suited to all phones and tablets, and this gold colour is to die for!

Paco Robanne Gift Set - Selfridges (£57)

- Everybody loves the signature 1 million scent from Paco Robanne, This gift set from Selfridges comes with 100ml of the original Eau de Toilette and 150ml of the deodrant. Last minute gift? Check!

Cufflinks - Ted Baker @ Asos (£45)

- For special occasions, or even everyday wear at work! These cream pyramid cufflinks add a little something extra to a shirt or suit. Once again, I think £45 from Ted Baker is an absolute bargain!

Jumper - American Apparel (£66)

 - There are cheaper alternatives, but I personally love the American Apparel Fishermans Pullover on both men and women. I think it's the ideal piece of clothing for these cold, cold winter months! My favourite colour is grey, but the burgandy and navy also make great additions to the winter wardrobe. 

Trainers - Vans @ Urban Outfitters (£52)

- Trainers are essential in a man's wardrobe and I love the style of the Old Skool Vans! Obviously, these aren't practical working out trainers but they make great casual wear and are good for walking too (once they've been broken in) These black and tan ones are great all year round!

1001 collection - Waterstones (on sale at £10 each!)

 - The 1001 collection is a fairly recent discovery of mine and they will make amazing gifts! Updated every year, there is a book for everyone. 1001 movies to see before you die, 1001 guitars to play, 1001 places to visit and my personal favourite, 1001 beers to drink before you die. A must-have this Christmas.

Game of Thrones Box Set (Seasons 1-3) - Amazon (£32)

- Almost every male is obsessed with Game of Thrones. This box set includes every episode of seasons 1 to 3, unfortunately not season 4 as it hasn't been released on DVD yet (WHY?! God only knows, it's Christmas for goodness sake)

IPad Air 2 - John Lewis (£399)

 - If you really want to push the boat out this Christmas, Apple's latest iPad is the way to do it! This is the thinnest and lightest iPad ever, and has boosted it's performance massively. It also now comes in grey in addition to the original black and white. 

Once again, there you have it! I hope I have fulfilled all of your last-minute shopping needs! Obviously, I'm not saying that every man will love to get these specific items, but I hope I gave you some sort of ideas to take away with you. If he's not into Paco Robanne, get him Viktor & Rolf's Spice Bomb, or the Burberry Gift Set. An Only Fools and Horses box set is a great alternative to Game of Thrones and what about the Xbox One instead of the iPad  air? There you go, EVEN MORE gift ideas!
Happy shopping everybody!
CJ x