Dress is a vital component of our daily lives. Clothing trends tend to differ from place to place, as every culture has a unique style attributed to it which is where fashion comes into play. These clothes are worn to reflect the beliefs, customs, values, and art of groups of people used to express themselves through the garments and accessories they decide to wear. Culture and fashion go hand-in-hand and are two sides of the same coin. Without even saying, culture and fashion can help you learn about the future of consumerism.

Culture is at the core of the fashion industry. Manufacturers design clothes that are woven into our history and heritage as well as match with the times. Fashion trends may come and go, however, fashion pieces made with culture at hand are always classics. For example, sarees, which are easily India’s most loved attire used to be worn without any undergarments such as a blouse or petticoat underneath them. Today’s woman wears the Saree, not with the regular t-shirt bra, but with a La Greca silk bralette by the Italian brand Versace which has become popular amongst fashionistas. 

Wearing fashion related to your culture can be a daunting task. You may look too authentic which wouldn’t make you stand out from the crowd or it may read disingenuity making you look as if you are trying too hard to make a statement. Below are some tips to helps one to interpret fashion trends and adopt the clothing style that suits their values and heritage;

Think of it as a fusion, not a costume

When culture meets fashion, a blend of two distinct styles takes place. When picking up these two elements, it’s important to make sure that no one style overshadows the other. The key to successful fusion is to fit the cultural pieces effortlessly and not in a way to steal the show.

A subtle accessory is key

Accessories not unless they are truly stunning pieces should be worn in moderation. Put an outfit first then accessorize to elevate the outfit. Find accessories that will reflect the culture in some way be it jewelry, scarfs, hairpins name it. Unless you are attending a cultural event, there is rarely an excuse to deck out in full Cultural regalia.

Keep it simple

Fashion is versatile and everyone will have their version of what embellishes style. Believe it or not, a ton of options isn’t the way to go. Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.

Fit in Everything

A woman will look put together in anything their wear as long as they fit properly. Taking time to pay attention to fit is a surefire way to add polish and confidence to the entire look. Seams of blouses should hit the shoulders and skirts zip up neatly. They may seem like tiny things but they do make a difference. Clothes that don’t fit can impact the first impression.

Tailor your specifications

There is always a way of incorporating culture into any item of clothing. A simple way to feel this is using cultural patterns, textures, and color to make different fashion pieces to make it eye-catching while remaining classy.

When it comes to Mother’s Day, most of us fall into either of two categories – devotees who have had the perfect gift picked out months in advance or last minute scramblers who are in desperate search for an awe inspiring gift for the most important lady in our lives. Regardless of which category you fall into (we promise we’ll keep it a secret), finding a gift that will make up for everything mum has sacrificed is most likely impossible. 

That most certainly shouldn’t stop you from trying, however! Today, we look at 6 Mother’s Day gift ideas that are sure to inspire nostalgia, so if you’re in need of some gift purchasing inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. Without further ado, let’s dive right in. 

Custom Family Illustration

For the mum who lives her entire life for her children, there is no better gift than something that comes straight from the heart. If you’re on a mission to inspire some nostalgia this Mother’s Day, a custom family illustration is sure to do the trick. Just because you and your siblings no longer live at home, that doesn’t mean you can’t be memorialised on mum’s feature wall! 

There are a wide variety of artists on the internet who take commissions and provide custom illustration services in a variety of different formats – from digital art and watercolour to cartoons or even oil paintings. Take your pick but be sure to get your artwork ordered at least a month or two in advance. The last thing you want is for your perfect gift to either not be ready or stuck in transit on Mother’s Day! 

Book A Retro Feast

Nothing brings back fond and loving memories more than sharing a meal with your mum at one of her favourite restaurants. This Mother’s Day, we encourage you to take a walk down memory lane by reserving a table at a restaurant that you and mum regularly frequented back in the day. Whether it’s classic American burgers, tuckshop food, or an immense Greek all-you-can-eat, there is nothing more meaningful than visiting the locations of yesteryear with the most important woman in your life. We promise she’ll love this one! 

Long Distance Love 

If you live in a different town, state or country from mum, fret not because we have the perfect way for you to share your love this Mother’s Day. One of our top picks for anyone who is celebrating a long-distance Mother’s Day in 2022 is a personalised care package. All you have to do is grab a box and load it right up with all of your mum’s favourite snacks and other goodies.

You could make this little offering a touch more nostalgia-inducing by including some photos of beloved memories, a replica of your mum’s favourite doll or stuffed animal (whether it be one of her toys growing up, or one of yours!), or a copy of her favourite board game to play with the rest of the family and loved ones who do get to spend this special day with her in your stead.

A Digital Photo Frame

If your mum is someone who simply loves photos and videos, a digital photo frame makes a fantastic Mother’s Day gift in 2022. Digital photo frames allow you to easily add images—including beautiful travel memories and family photos—to the frame from anywhere in the world! Unlike printed photos, a digital photo frame is able to showcase your family memories in great detail thanks to HD screens and impeccable image quality. 

The great thing about a digital photo frame is that mum doesn’t have to be a tech guru to navigate it – in fact, you can be the one who uploads and periodically updates the images it showcases via a mobile phone application. All mum has to do is plug it in and enjoy her gift!

An Instax Moment

Nothing screams “retro” or “nostalgia” more than polaroid photos. Thankfully, polaroid cameras have come a long way since their bulky predecessors. With a wide variety of different options available on the market in 2022, we can’t think of a better gift for mum than an Instax/Polaroid camera. Instax by Fujifilm comes in a plethora of different colours and styles to suit a variety of different tastes and to top it off, you can choose from a wide range of different film options and designs that mum can go absolutely crazy with! 

Vintage Clothing Gift Card

Last but not least, for the mum who is looking to relive her retro fashionista days, nothing will beat a vintage clothing gift card this Mother’s Day. With more and more retro/vintage clothing stores popping up all over the country, mum will be spoilt for choice when it comes to which floral dress or pair of bell bottom pants to choose from! Nowadays, some vintage clothing stores operate entirely online (and sell gift cards) for the mum who would rather flick through her iPad than deal with crowds. 

And there you have it – 6 amazing gifts that are sure to inspire nostalgia this Mother’s Day. We hope that this article has equipped you with a variety of new gift ideas that are sure to make mum feel like the queen that she is!

It has certainly been a tough few years for greyhound racing. The coronavirus pandemic ensured races were forced behind closed doors for the best part of 18 months, meaning no spectators were present and revenue was hard to come by. It’s a sport that has always been full of entertainment, but one where popularity has dwindled in recent years and is a far cry from the peak of its powers.

A night at the track is still enjoyable though, and now a sense of normality is back you can expect plenty more faces present and placing a greyhound bet. As good as the dogs might be, they still need a trainer to get them up to scratch and allow them to keep up with the demand of the busy racing schedule. Read on, as we go through some of the best trainers in the world of greyhound racing.

Mark Wallis

Last year was certainly one to remember for Mark Wallis. Having suffered a difficult 2020, largely down to coronavirus restrictions massively impeding an already clustered schedule, he managed to turn thing around and win a record 12^th Greyhound Trainer of the Year award, in which he picked up a plethora of Category One victories. Its hard to look past him as one of the best on current form and having already come close in the Essex Vase at Romford back in January, its only a matter of time before he’s racking up more wins in the big races.

“Overall, we’ve got to be pleased with how the year panned out on the track.” He said, upon receiving the trainer of the year award.

“We were in front for much of the year and, despite a late run from Patrick (Janssens), have managed to secure an incredible twelfth title for the kennel. It’s the third highest total of points since 2005 and included six Category One victories.”

Liz McNair

Speaking of the Essex Vase, it was the Liz McNair-trained Warzone Tom who tasted victory in Romford, seeing off the likes of Night Time Danny and Drumdoit Bomber in the exciting 575m race. While the £10,000 cash prize might pale in comparison to some of the figures floating around in the upper echelon of Category One races, victory in the Essex Vase is a real statement of intent as far as McNair is concerned.

The win puts a real benchmark down to the other trainers and having enjoyed something of a purple patch last year, winning the Laurels at Birmingham’s Perry Barr Stadium. You wonder if McNair can ride this crest of a wave right through until the summer as we gear towards the English Greyhound Derby.

Patrick Janssens

It’s hard to believe that a trainer as talented as Patrick Janssens only won his maiden Trainer of the Year award in 2020. It’s not only testament to the consistency of Wallis, but just shows how high the standard that the Belgian will need to be at to reign supreme. Janssens is the current holder of the English Greyhound Derby, the most prestigious race on the greyhound calendar, and as he oversaw Thorn Falcon’s victory at Towcester, he put his name in the hat as one of the best around.

Like McNair, Janssens has started 2022 in fine fettle, winning the Blue Riband back in Northamptonshire, this time with Fabulous Azurra, whilst Thorn Flacon also ran impressively, both earning praise from the Belgian, who said: “Overall Fabulous Azurra was quickest. She flew the traps and continues to impress, although it was great to see Derby Champion Thorn Falcon run another really solid race here at Towcester.” It will be interesting to see if he can replicate the success of last summer this time around.