Top Funky Gifts

We’ve all been in the same boat when it comes to the frustrations of finding a gift for a friend or family member. Sometimes you know exactly what to get and other times you want to get something slightly unusual. We’ve done some research on top quirky and random gifts and here is what we’ve found. It suits budgets from £5 up to £120. Enjoy!

1. Brick Yourself £29.99

This gift is for the ultimate Lego fanatic. You simply upload a photo of yourself, add a few facts, outfit suggestions and hobbies and a mini figurine will be made for you. You can also add a few words underneath to finish it off. You’ll receive your gift as it shows in the photo below in a nice thick frame.

To find out more: https://www.firebox.com/Brick-Yourself/p7568

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2. Tweexy £14.99

A great gift for someone who loves to polish their nails. No need to be at a table while painting your nails. With this nifty gadget you can paint your nails anywhere and avoid spills, drips and smears. The Tweexy fits all shapes and sizes of nail polish and fits perfectly on your hand.

To find out more: https://www.firebox.com/Tweexy/p7552

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3.  Bobino Mobile Phone Holder £4.99

A daily struggle of charging your phone but then where to put it? This gadget answers all your problems. A very random but useful gift!

To get yours: https://www.totally-funky.co.uk/PROD4586/Mobile-Phone-Holder

www.totally-funky.co.uk

4. Polaroid Zip Instant Print Mobile Printer £119.99

Connect to your smartphone and print photos straight away! A perfect gift for that snap happy friend. Connects via Bluetooth of WiFi. There’s also an app available so you can edit and personalise photos before printing.

To buy: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4536257?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59158|cid:200290250|agid:12504931370|tid:pla-266598096149|crid:66128552690|nw:g|rnd:8137965298249593654|dvc:c|adp:1o4&gclid=CNr58N-stdICFRYo0wodQicIAw

www.argos.co.uk

5. Something Edible like a Giant Cookie or Biscuits £6.95 - £20.99

If you’re buying a gift for someone who has a sweet tooth then either a giant cookie or a biscuit selection would be very fitting. Who doesn’t like to receive something that they can eat?

Giant Cookie: https://www.funkyfoodgifts.com/collections/greeting-cards/products/giant-happy-birthday-chocolate-chip-cookie

Cookie Gift Box: https://www.funkyfoodgifts.com/collections/greeting-cards/products/happy-birthday-vintage-cookie-gift-box

 www.funkyfoodgifts.com

6. The Master Pan £49.98

A pan that can cook a whole fry up at once - sold! I can imagine this would make a lot of people happy and a great addition to your kitchen.

To buy: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/71133/Master-Pan-Divided-Frying-Pan-For-Cooked-Breakfast

www.lakeland.co.uk

Wedding Inspiration

Are you getting married soon or know someone that is? We have put together some ideas which we think would be great for a spring wedding.

Colours

Spring is a great time for pastel and neutral colours as it a time when nature is at its best with plants in bloom and new animals being born.

Coral is a very feminine colour which will give your bridesmaids a glow and add a gentle touch to the groomsmen outfits. Either of these bridesmaids dresses would look great with our Plain Coral Bow Tie and Pocket Square Set.

Or you could even combine coral dresses with gold mens accessories such as our Plain Gold Scrunchie Cravat and Cufflinks Set.

Baby Blue is another great colour for spring weddings as it portrays calm and serenity. You could pair baby blue bridesmaids dresses with ivory or baby blue mens accessories. They would look great with our Plain Ivory Tie, Pocket Square and Cufflinks Set or our Plain Baby Blue Bow Tie and Cufflinks Set

Invites

Wedding invites are often too busy with flamboyant designs, so why not keep it simple and elegant. You can have a spring themed invite without it being too over the top. Here are a few examples which we like.

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Top Gadgets

No matter how old you are the though of a new gadget will get most people a bit excited. Whether it be a couple hundreds of pounds spent for your enjoyment or just a couple there are always new gadgets coming out or that you simply haven't discovered yet. It could be a 5 minute wonder or you might end up hooked or making your life significantly easier. After all a new gadget can be practical as well as for entertainment.

We have selected just a few things which caught our attention. One of these at least will probably have you itching to have one.

1. Bluetooth Earbud - £12.99

If you love the idea of wireless earphones like Apple Airpods but not the extortionate price then this could be the perfect cheaper alternative. Even if you replace it in a short amount of time its got to better than contending with pesky earphone wires which somehow always manage to tangle or get caught on something and yanked out of your ears.

Get yours here: http://www.red5.co.uk/bluetooth-earbud.aspx?categoryId=937&responseId=ce813b52-34e0-4a71-80f3-78c147568314

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2. Iphone 7 - From £599 direct from Apple

The latest model of iphone is hugely different from those before it and in our opinion greatly improved. It is now waterproof, with a bigger more hard wearing screen which is less likely to smash, a new type of home button, and no headphone socket but it comes with an adaptor in case you would like to stick with normal headphone rather than wireless ones. 

See them on Apple.com here: http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-7#00

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3. Smartphone Projector - £19.99

Ever get tired of watching TV or a film on your tiny phone screen? With a smartphone projector you do not even need a television so if they are all occupied or there is not one around this will be really handy. It is incredibly simple to use and will improve your viewing experience. 

To buy this: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5438419?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|cid:189934525|agid:18091995445|tid:aud-144400486596:pla-266532769565|crid:77627771845|nw:g|rnd:12354109423467102743|dvc:c|adp:1o3&gclid=Cj0KEQiAot_FBRCqt8jVsoDKoZABEiQAqFL76MKoP66t39ILsYAqMW6pYG59AEfHfdq8UJXpNnZ4HAsaAnff8P8HAQ

www.argos.co.uk

4. PowerVision PowerRay underwater drone - Undetermined

If you are a fishing enthusiast this drone could revolutionise your hobby. It can go up to 30 meters underwater, steams video to your phone so you can navigate, can detect fish up to 40 meters away and it comes will virtual reality goggle and you can move by tilting your head. 

www.robotglobe.org

5. LG W7 featherweight wall-mount TVs - Undetermined 

Also known as the wallpaper TV this television can be hung flush to the wall so that it looks like just a poster. It is attached to the wall with magnets and there is one wire to a sound bar. This is the thinnest and lightest TV yet.

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Dapper Man Of the Month for March

Our March dapper man of the month is Ryan Gosling! Gosling has been in some amazing films including the most recent La La Land, The Notebook, Drive, The Big Short and many more.

Gosling was born in Ontario, Canada on November 12^th 1980 and started his career as a child star on the Disney Channel’s Mickey Mouse Club. He gained a wider audience when he starred in The Notebook in 2004.

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Gosling has received many award nominations such as an Academy Award for his performance in Half Nelson (2006), a Golden Globe Award for Lars and the Real Girl (2007) and a second Golden Globe nomination for Blue Valentine (2010) and many more.

He is also in a rock band called Dead Man’s Bones with his friend Zach Shields.

Gosling has dated stars such as Sandra Bullock and Rachel McAdams, but has been dating the gorgeous Eva Mendes since 2011 and they have two daughters; Esmerelda and Amada.

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Interesting Facts

• His childhood nickname was “Trouble”
• Ryan Cabrera has a Ryan Gosling tattoo on his calf
• He’s an accomplished jazz guitarist
• Ryan built the car he used in Drive
• Contrary to his famous meme, he's never said "Hey, girl."

Best Dressed Moments 

Ryan in a Gucci tuxedo 

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Here he is wearing a burnt orange tie with an added slate blue tie bar. 

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Gosling looking very dapper in a 3 piece suit and tie bar. 

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Top 5 Marvel Films

Marvel are a series of extremely popular comics and in recent years they have been made into films. Most of the Marvel films are interlinked with each other in some way, and they have the common fact that Stan Lee (writer of the comics and former president and chairman of Marvel comics) appears in every film for a very short amount of time. The tradition started in 1989 when he had a cameo in one of the original TV Hulk spin-off movies.

The films are all based on Marvel comics and are part of a shared universe which means the plots from all the different films cross over.

Top 5 Marvel films

We have picked our top 5 marvel films, if you have some time on your hands why not work your way through our list and have a marvel movie marathon, as far as we are concerned that is definitely a good way to make the most out of your free time.

1. Iron Man

Iron Man was the first film in the Marvel cinematic Universe in 2008. It is the ultimate geeky fantasy involving an ordinary man creating his own superpowers of sorts. Robert Downey Jr.'s sarcastic wit really adds to the film. There is a hint of romance with his assistant Gwenth Paltrow, action packed scenes, fast cars, gadgets galore and a bit of mystery. It really could appeal to all sorts of audiences as there is something for everyone.

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2. Thor 

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston the Thor films are all based on Norse mythology with a modern twist. It is a tale of love, war and betrayal. Although these films are very romance based they are also largely about the betrayal of Loki, Thor's brother.

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3. Guardians of the Galaxy

This is a very off the wall Marvel film, quite different to all of the others, it is set mainly in space and revolves around the infamous Star-Lord. Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord) is kidnapped as a child and raised by space pirates. Decades later he steals a valuable orb. The orb is much sought after by many people including Yondu one of the pirates, who places bounty on Peter so he can have the orb for himself.  Peter tries to sell the orb and ends up in prison where he forms a team to help him break out of, collect money from the orb and kill Ronan the person trying to destroy the planet Xandar. There is more to the orb than they know.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is out on 28th April 2017

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4. Deadpool


Deadpool is a darker, more adult and crude part of the marvel universe and is mainly based around comedy. It follows Ryan Reynolds a former special forces operative turned mercenary who finds love. However he cant see a way out when diagnosed with terminal cancer until  offered the option to become an experiment which is promised to cure him. The man behind the project Ajax, performs lots of horrible tests to discover his mutant abilities which leaves him terribly disfigured. He then becomes deadpool, aims to get revenge on Ajax and find the woman he loves after pushing her away because of the way he looked after the treatment.

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5. Avengers Assemble 

Avengers sees the first time a group of marvel superheroes band together to defeat the ever mischievous Loki from trying to help an alien race invade and destroy earth. Thor, Iron Man, The Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Captain America are gathered together by Nick Fury the boss of S.H.I.E.LD when the earths security is threatened to form The Avengers.

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St Patrick's Day

Happy St.Patrick's Day to you all from Fab Ties!

St.Patrick's Day is a celebration in memory of the foremost patron saint of Ireland so you will be bound to see a lot of green floating about and we expect the pubs and restaurants to be bursting at the seems with people celebrating. It commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and the culture and heritage of the Irish in general.

It is the tradition to have an alcoholic drink today even if Guinness is not your thing, so why not head to your local pub. If you fancy being a bit more adventurous you could head to an Irish pub in London or maybe celebrate the day in style at a nice restaurant.

Outfit Inspiration

If you are off to the local pub why not be truly patriotic wearing this Irish Flag Tie by The Tie Studio with a pair of jeans and a simple white shirt, pair it with a navy blue cardigan to keep the chill off.

Maybe you have a formal event arranged, if so this Emerald Green Cummerbund and Bow Tie Set by Knightsbridge would look great with a black suit.

This Green Paisley Polka Dot Woven Silk Tie by Knightsbridge would look great if you're at the office this St.Patrick's, pair it with a great suit for a professional look with a nod to the celebration.

Rolex

Rolex is probably the most well known and is the biggest luxury watch brand, the brand name is recognised worldwide and they produce about 2000 watches per day. The company was founded by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London in 1905 and was names WD after them. They registered the trademark Rolex in 1908 and opened an office in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. They registered the company name as Rolex on 15th November 1915.

The name Rolex is said to be from the fact that Wilsdorf thought it was onomatopoeic and sounded like a watch being wound. He also wanted the name to easy to pronounce in every language. The letters are all uppercase and the same size which means it can be written symmetrically and it is short enough to fit on a watch face.

In 1919 Rolex left England because wartime taxes on luxury imports and exports were pushing the price of the gold an silver for the cases too high. They moved the company to Geneva, Switzerland where it was named the Rolex Watch Company. It was later called Montres Rolex, SA and finally Rolex, SA. When Wilsdorf's wife died in 1944 he established the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private trust which he left all of his Rolex shares in to make sure some of the company's income would go to charity. Since he died in 1960 the company is owned and run by the trust.

Most popular

Certain designs of Rolex watch are considerably more popular than others. So here are some of the most popular models of Rolex and some outfit inspiration for each one, after all you've got to have a great outfit to go with the perfect watch.

The Rolex Submariner is probably the most popular type of Rolex watch. It was originally designed for diving enthusiasts, they were waterproof up to 330ft and allowed divers to track their time underwater. Todays version is watertight to 1000ft deep and they are popular with all sorts of people from actors and actresses to high profile business men and sportsmen.

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For a smart casual look wear your Rolex Submariner with a black shirt, a pair f jeans, brown ankle boots and our Van Buck Limited Edition Flower Design Grey Silk Tie. 

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is most popular with athletes because it features accurate tachymeter and chronograph so that racers can measure their speed up to an amazing 400km per hour.  

From sportswear to smart, This versatile time piece will look great with your sportswear but it will also perfectly compliment a suit either for the office or a special event. Pair it with our Navy Blue Stripes Woven Silk Tie by Knightsbridge to really finish off the look. 

A Rolex Yacht-Master has large hands and easy to read numbers, it is a relatively new model from 1992 but its stylish appearance and the fact its easy to use has made it a favourite. It is popular with both men and women and there a variety of styles available so you can be sure there will be one to suit you. 

For a quirky look wear your Yacht-Master with a grey shirt, black chinos, our Mens Paisley Blue Diamond Tip Bow Tie and some Black Clip On Braces by Knightsbridge.

Our Must Watch Movie For March

Beauty and The Beast is retelling of the original story which will be released on the 17th March. The new version of the classic fairy tale stars Harry Potter star Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens who is best known for his part playing matt Crawley in the period drama Downton Abbey plays The Beast. Playing the infamous villain Gaston is The Hobbit star Luke Evans.

It is believed this version of the story will follow the plot of the original film. It is a live action film meaning it combines real actors and animation.

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The plot of the original 1991 film

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We are fairly certain the majority of you will have seen or red this classic story however there will be a few who have not yet experience this wonderful tale so here is a brief synopsis of what it entails.

The towns supposedly most eligible bachelor Gaston decides he want to have the one woman not interested in him as his wife. That one woman is Belle, an intelligent young woman that lives a quiet but interesting and knowledge filled life with her father Maurice.

Belle's father Maurice is an eccentric inventor, when travelling by horse to a fair to show off his latest invention he gets lost and unknowingly ventures into the gates of the enchanted castle. The castle is residence of the Beast, so named because in his youth an enchantress tested his kindness and found him lacking when disguised as an old beggar she offered him an enchanted rose in exchange for shelter, he refused. AS a result of his lack of sympathy she cast a spell over him and his castle turning him into a beast, dooming him to be trapped there unless he could find true love before the enchanted rose wilts on his 21st birthday.

The Beast captures Maurice furious that anyone dared to enter his domain, so after a few days of hearing nothing a worried Belle takes off in search of him. She follows his horse who fled back to her to the castle, once there she offers to take her fathers place so that he can be free. The beast accepts her offer and lets her father go, he rushes back to the town for help but no one believes him.

The beast becomes angry because Belle refuses to dine with him that night but Cogsworth and Lumiere the enchanted clock and candlestick give her a tour of the castle. During the tour she wanders into the west wing which is forbidden and The Beast chases her into the forest where she is attacked by a pack of wolves. He fights them off but sustains several wounds, while Belle tends to his wounds he begins to develop feelings for her and he shows her the impressive library. In the mean time Gaston pays to have Belle's father Maurice taken to an insane asylum if she rejects his proposal again.

When The Beast and  Belle are sharing a romantic dance she opens up that she misses her father so The Beast lets her use his magic mirror to see him. She sees him dying in the woods and The Beast lets her go and gives her the mirror to remember him by. Bell finds Maurice and takes him home only to have Gaston attempt to take her father to the asylum. To prove his sanity Belle shows The Beast in the magic mirror. Realising that Belle loves The Beast over him he convinces the towns people he is a monstrous creature that must be hunted and killed.

Chip the teacup who stowed away in Belle's bag soon helps her and her father escape. The servants at the castle fend off the villagers while Gaston battles The Beast. When the Beast sees Belle return to the castle he starts to fight back and orders Gaston to leave, but Gaston uses this opportunity to his advantage and mortally wounds The Beast. Gaston looses his footing and dies from the fall. Belle professes her love for The Beast as he dies just before the last rose petal falls. As the last petal falls the spell is broken and The Beast changes back to his old form of Prince Adam and he is alive. The castle is magically restored and all the servants turn back into humans.

The Oscars 2017

Yesterday the 89th Oscars was held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, LA. It was definitely a memorable night with a huge mishap, some amazing outfits, wonderful music performances and great speeches. 

The biggest mistake in the history of the Academy Awards occurred at yesterdays ceremony, the award for best picture was awarded to the wrong people. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty opened the envelope containing the name of the film which won the award. They announced that La La Land had won so the team gave their acceptance speeches and it wasn't until the producers reached the end of their speeches that it was revealed their had been a mix up and Moonlight was in fact the winner of the best picture Oscar.

It has been revealed that the presenters were given the wrong envelope, they had the envelope for Actress in a leading role. Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz from PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who count the votes and place the winners names in the sealed envelopes went on stage to inform everyone. The producer of La La Land Jordan Horowitz then held up the correct card and said "There's a mistake. Moonlight you guys won best picture. This is no joke. I'm afraid they read the wrong thing. This is not a joke, Moonlight, you won best picture." Ryan Golsing kept viewers entertained during the fiasco by standing on stage trying to contain his laughter. 

Also at the beginning of the evening Ryan Golsing caused a stir by arriving be a woman who was not his partner Eva Mendes however it was soon discovered that the woman is in fact his sister Mandi. 

There wasn't just one but 2 mix ups at this years Oscars. Every year there is an In Memoriam segment which celebrates the lives of those influential people in the film industry which have died in the past 12 months. During the tribute presented by Jenifer Aniston a photo of the wrong person was displayed, it was supposed to be Jane Patterson a costume designer and 4 time Academy Award winner  who did sadly die of Cancer. However the picture shown was not her, it was of her long time friend Jan Chapman who is still very much alive and was devastated by the error. 

Best Dressed Couples

John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen looked stunning on the red carpet. She wore a floor length white embellished dress by Zuhair Murad and John wore a classic black suit a large black bow tie. 

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Justin Timberlake looked dapper as ever with his wife Jessica Blake who truly shone in a long tight high neck gold dress. 

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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was glowing in a long blue dress which accentuated her baby bump and her husband Jason Statham looked dashing wearing a slim fit back suit. 

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Jamie Dornan opted for something different with a white dinner jacket and his wife Amelia Warner wore an elegant pink gown. 

www.popsugar.co.uk

Dapper Man of the Month for February

Our dapper man this month is none other than the infamous Tom Hardy. He is an English actor and producer born in 15 September 1977 in Hammersmith, London. His career began at the age of 21 in 1998 when he won a modelling contract in The Big Breakfast's Find Me a Supermodel competition and he then joined the Drama Centre London. Hardy had to leave the Drama Centre early because he got the part of US Army Private John Janovec in the BBC TV series Band of Brothers.

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A year later in 1999 he married his first wife Sarah ward a producer, they divorced in 2004. He has one son with ex-girlfriend Rachel Speed. They were together from 2004 - 2009. Their son Louis is now 8 years. He has a second son (born October 2015) with Charlotte Riley who he met on the set of Wuthering heights in 2008 and married in 2014.

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In 2008 Hardy stared as Handsome Bob the gay gangster in guy Ritchie's film Rocknrolla. Then in 2009 he played the title character in the film Bronson all about the life of the real English prisoner Charles Bronson. 

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His career really started to pick up in 2010 when he stared in inception with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He went on to play parts in many hit films such as The Dark Night Rises as Bane, Mad Max: Fury Road as Max Rockatansky, Legend as both of the Kray twins and The Revenant as John Fitzgerald.

Although Tom often portrays a bad guy on screen he has a softer personality in real life. He and Rachel have two rescue dogs together, one of which he appeared in an  advert for PETA with to promote the adoption of pets. He also has appeared twice on the cbeebies children's programme Bedtime Stories, once on New Years Eve and once on Valentines day which was a treat for many of Hardy's adult fans as well the the children the show is aimed at.

Best Dressed Moments

Here are what we think are some of Tom Hardy's most dapper moments.

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Interesting Facts 

• Michael Fassbender was his classmate at the Drama Centre London and they appeared in Band of Brothers together. 
• He has a tattoo of his agent's name on his left arm.
• In his mid 20's he had an addiction to alcohol and crack cocaine but has been sober since 2003. 
• He was cast as Rick Flag in Suicide Squad but had to drop out due to conflicting schedules with The Revenant. 
• He speaks fluent French.