Gold is a popular choice for men’s rings, but there are many different grades and styles available so choosing one can be difficult. There are two main factors to consider when picking gold rings for men, the color and the carat. Most rings for men have a gold carat of 18kt, 14kt or 9kt. The higher the quality of gold is used in the ring, the more expensive and valuable it will be. An 18kt carat will be far more costly compared to a 9 carat ring of the same size and style.
Hardness and durability are also important to consider because a man’s ring should be strong and able to withstand harsh conditions. The carat level of the gold actually affects the hardness level of the ring. Metal hardness is measured on the Vickers scale, so hard metals receive high Vickers scores and softer metals have a lower score. 9kt has a Vickers score of 120 while an 18kt is 125. The 9 carat ring is harder to bend and springier than 18 carat styles, so a good 9kt ring will be less likely to get bent out of shape compared to an 18kt ring. Gold is a soft metal so a higher level of gold means a softer ring. However if it has been mixed with sturdy constructive metals, then it is far less likely to bend out of shape.
Gold rings are available in several different colors. The most popular choice is yellow gold, although rose gold and white gold are also popular. Other gold varieties can include lime, red, peach and bronze gold. Each gold color has the same amount of pure gold in it, so it will have the same Vickers score. When comparing gold rings, white gold is usually more costly than rose gold or yellow gold. This is because metals like platinum and palladium are mixed into the metal. Palladium and platinum are very expensive elements and cost more than the gold itself, causing the ring to be more expensive.
For practical terms, an 18kt ring will hold up better to every day wear compared to a 9kt or 14kt ring. It will also continue to look good as it ages. This is a reason why 18kt is the preferred choice in gold rings for men. However, it is also the most expensive choice so a 14 carat ring may be a good choice because the price and quality is between the 18 carat and 9 carat.

Shearling coats and jackets are made from sheepskin pelts. They are luxuriously light, warm and stylish. The lamb pelts make the supple garments with amazing breathability and insulation. When cared for properly, sheepskin coats and jackets can last for decades, ridding the need to buy a new coat every few seasons. Some people prefer to buy faux (fake) because it’s cheaper. Faux shearling may look similar to real the real thing but the breathability, insulation, durability and comfort cannot compare to real shearling. Also, real shearling is environmentally friendly since it isn’t made from polyester and acrylic, which are petroleum-based fibers.
These coats and jackets come in a huge assortment of styles and colors. From bomber style jackets to full length hooded coats, the options are endless making it easy to find a sheepskin coat or jacket to harmonize with almost any personal style. Three personal styles that beckon the addition of a shearling coat to complete their look are rocker-biker, bohemian and country-western.
Rocker-Biker
Whether you are a rock star, motorcycle rider or just like to look like one, a shearling jacket will complete your look. Known for an edgy and cool appearance, the rocker/biker style is synonymous with rugged leather boots like military combat boots or full-length motorcycle boots. T-shirts, jeans and leather pants are commonly worn under the “must have” leather jacket. The best leather jacket to have to complete this look is a bomber style shearling jacket. The bomber style jacket was designed during World War I to keep fighter pilots warm while flying in open cockpit airplanes. It soon became the symbol of “cool” and is still considered to be so by today’s’ standards.
Bohemian
The bohemian style is also known as “boho-chic” or “hippie chic” and is popular among the avant-garde, artists and free spirits. It’s a nomadic gypsy style that secedes conventionality with free-flowing earthiness. The natural ease of a shearling coat is the perfect outerwear choice to finish off this organic style. A sheepskin coat with a natural, unfinished and raw appearance has a tribal quality that is the epitome of unconventionality.
Country-Western
Farmers, ranchers and cowboys were the first to take full advantage of wearing shearling coats to shield them from the elements. When leading an active life outdoors, two criteria are key for effective outerwear. First, the outerwear must be supple in order to allow full range of movement without ripping or tearing. Second, the outerwear must have superior insulating properties to keep the harsh wind and cold at bay all day. Shearling coats and jackets meet these two criteria and have become the indistinguishable country-western coat. Today, men and women that don’t necessarily work on a ranch or farm but sport a country-western style accomplish the appearance best with a shearling coat or jacket.
These three fashion styles may seem completely different, but all are perfectly completed with a sheepskin coat or jacket. This demonstrates the versatility of shearling garments. If you want to fine tune, create or develop your personal style, look at the expansive selection of shearling coats and jackets to see if they fit in with the look you want to achieve.

Whenever I need an inspiration for color in fashion, I always revisit my beloved movie ‘Down with Love’. This frivolously delicious and hilarious movie, starring Rennee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, has itself become a bit of a vintage movie. It is a spoof on the Doris Day and Rock Hudson comedies of the 60s.
The bubbly blonde and the dark, handsome guy, with the ‘girl trying to work hard to get somewhere’ kind of story line. It certainly makes a very deserving ‘chick flick’, perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon. However, the main attractions for me are the costumes. Make no mistake, this is certainly forward thinking in terms of the whole vintage thing. I guess the craze about ‘Mad Men’ really started with this movie.
The costumes were designed by Daniel Orlandi. I am extremely impressed with the fact that it had no real vintage clothing at all. All of the costumes were complete re-designs, fitted and turned into the funny colorful feast of a movie. The whole movie is a nonstop extravaganza of fashion display, overloaded with rainbow colors, beautiful fabrics, and matching outfits. I adore the ensemble of a pink and white wool jacket, over a super-fitted wool dress, matching the color of the jacket and topped with a pair of white gloves for style.
Daniel Orlandi must have read all the magazines from the years 62-67 to draw his inspirations for the movie. “We didn’t want to use vintage clothes on Renee, or any of the other principals, because we didn’t want it to look shabby,” says Orlandi, who instead used vintage fabric for many of his designs. “We wanted the clothes to seem fun and surprising, not campy.”
It definitely does not look ‘thrift shop’, in fact the cut and fit for both actors are simply amazing. Apparently, he intentionally designed the garments with lots of vibrant colors, even though they were not traditional colors for a blonde. I think the bright colors agreed with Renee very well, reflecting on her character and the comedy plot. The riot of colors, lavender, lime, fuchsia, snow-white, magenta and ice blue are certainly a feast for the eyes.
Don’t be afraid to copy the fashion of this movie though. All the expertly matched outfits, certainly put all of us who wear a GAP tee shirt and jeans to shame. We could always lighten ourselves up with a brightly colored scarf, a fitted dress with neat tucking details, or a pair of snazzy pumps. We should never be afraid of color, after all we can still wear the classic black coat. Get out there and wear those color and treat your friends to a colorful feast.

Most people especially ladies and even men too like to see themselves as highly fashionable but they will not get far with their efforts unless they can make perfume as part of their daily habit. It increases sophistication and class. Everyone loves to smell good; and that is why perfumes are now valued by both women and men alike.
Basically a woman would go for one distinct perfume which she makes as part of her wardrobe and wears it everywhere she goes. If you have this kind of habit, the best thing is to mix your own type of perfume with several other aromas to create a very unique finish. This is what you need as a fashion statement of your very own kind. Here is how to select the best ladies perfumes.
The Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely is very popular with women and it is very hard for it to go away. Then there is Aqua di Gio from Armani.
It is quite obvious that Armani is huge in this industry and carry perfumes for men and women too.
Just on the mention of Armani Code and the ladies will immediately think perfume. It has a little bit of ginger, wood and a touch of honey with every spray.
Another irresistible scent for ladies is Lacome’s Attractio. It is stunning, luxurious and can only be compared to Flower Princess by Vera Wang. This one has a whiff of citric plus other flowers. Mature ladies prefer the perfume called Eternity but the younger ones go for the fantastic scent of Curve Kicks by Liz Clairborne.
The more active women go for the lasting freshness of Lacoste’s Touch of Pink. Then there is the oriental richness and sophistication in Opium.
With such a great variety there is no reason why you should not wear good perfume. There must be a type that will suit your taste and preference. That is why you must know what type of person you are and your individual preference will lead you to one unique perfume that will become your accent.