The Business Of Jackets

A jacket is SO important, not only does it keep you warm but it stops and outfit looking plain and boring. We're back with the eBay Collections segment here and this time it is all about smart, casual or (heck lets mash them together) smart-casual jackets.

Team one of these jackets with your outfit to create a multitude of different looks, with a shirt and smart trousers add a blazer for a daytime business look - or with a plain tee and black skinny jeans, add a denim jacket for that man-about-town look. 

As usual click on the image below to check out and shop the collection, you can go back and check out the previous collections and style yourself up one heck of a killer outfit! You can tweet me the images of what you've bought using #SamsCollection! 

Don't forget to give me a follow on Twitter and Instagram @ImSamSquire comment below with your thoughts on the collection, tweet me them or send Hedwig along with a note with your opinions!

Someone's Getting Shirty

I am BACK with my second blog post of the day...I know right - someone check my pulse! We're carrying on with the eBay collections blog segment and we've done the shoes and trousers so it's time to dress your torso...noone likes a chilly torso. 

You know the drill by now, click on the image below to head to my eBay Collections - I've been building these collections to give you the very best outfits that are great for different occasions, work, college, parties and more, even better is that they are budget outfits, you're getting amazing quality garments but a lot cheaper than you can get them on the highstreet, this is all thanks to the eBay Fashion Gallery, a section of eBay inhabited by some of the country's best fashion brands including boohoo Menswear, Blue Inc, Schuh and more. As always you can check back on the previous collections and bundle together the items you love most. 

Don't forget to give me a follow on eBay to keep upto date with the collections, also follow me on Twitter @ImSamSquire and we can have a natter about things in life.

The Trouser Department

It's the second day of my new segment where I help you find the very best outfit at discounted prices thanks to eBay and their new eBay Collections feature. Today we're taking a look at trousers - So many different trousers can be worn with different outfits to give a different look, to smarten it up or make it just that little bit more casual, it's all about how you wear them!

So, have a scroll through my new collection, with great brands such as Superdry, The Savile Row Company and loads more at really great prices. Also don't forget to check back on the first collection of shoes, match up your favourite shoes and trousers and buy them together thanks to the easy to use eBay checkout process! Click the image below to go and shop my collection, there's 5 different trousers, all can be worn in different ways to achieve your personal style look. 

What do you think of the look? Don't forget to follow my collections on eBay so you don't miss the next one! Also give me a follow on Twitter @ImSamSquire! Stay tuned to the blog for the next part of my collections.

Shoes Glorious Shoes

If you live under some kind of rock or small bridge etc then you'll have missed the launch of the eBay Collections which is a crying shame. The world famous selling site has launched profile in which you can create a collection of products from around the virtual marketplace.  From fashion to electrical and all those eclectic bits in between you can create a collection from just about anything! This will be used to create a daily segment where I bring you the best finds on eBay to help you create that oh so dapper outfit, focusing on a different item of clothing each day.

So with this in mind I set about navigating my way through the 'Fashion Gallery' section which see's huge brands like Very, Office and Schuh selling and crazy discounted prices in their eBay shop. I was looking for the best 5 shoes that were great prices and would look great with different kinds of outfits. They can be used to dress a look up for a cocktail party or to dress it down for those days when you don't care how you look (oh, please - we all have days like that!).  So, here's a pic of my top picks for today! You can shop the collection by clicking the image below!

Just a short post today - don't forget to check back tomorrow to check out the next collection, also don't forget to follow me on eBay for the latest updates to the collections! Give me a follow on Twitter @ImSamSquire and we can chat and stuff.

Me Gusta Degusta

Let's chat about food. If you for some reason cannot find me in my house there's a VERY strong chance my head will be in a cupboard or fridge snacking away. I am just waiting to be approached to do a series of Secret Eaters...

Basically I love (literally LOVE) food, so when I was contacted by the fabulous humans over at Degusta Box I played it cool and said I was interested (whilst chomping a cookie). The box came overnight which was pretty blumming impressive, my stomach and I were super appreciative of this! Oh, if you didn't know - Degusta is a huge big box of food that is sent to you monthly for £12.99pm, all of the tasty treats inside are a surprise each month. I believe, and don't quote me on this, that Degusta Box originally comes from Spain - Degusta meaning 'Tasting' in Spanish.  The boxes are sent out between the 25th and 20th of each month and I was really surprised at the amount and the quality of food you get in them. 

This Month's box included:

- Schwartz Paella Flavour Shot x2

- Schwartz Italian Pasta Flavour Shot x2

- MOMA! Porridge x2

- Tyrrells Sweet and Salty Popcorn

- Drink Me Chai Choc Chai Latte

- Drink Me Chai Tea Latte

- Shaken Udder Milkshakes x3

- Mexican Dave's Cheesy Nachos

- Organico Durum Wheat Fusili

- Organico Tomato and Basil Sauce

I've been quite good in the fact I didn't inhale all of the food as soon as I opened the box, however the plentiful bounty is somewhat dwindling...so far I've tried the MOMA! Plain Porridge, I don't know if it's just me but I found it a little too watery, I followed the instructions but it was a little sloshy, don't get me wrong though I still ate it all and it tasted great. Next up, with a little help from Mummy Squire the Tyrrells Popcorn lasted just a couple of days, I've never had sweet and salted mixed popcorn however it tasted amazing, they're such juxtaposing tastes but I loved it. I was already a fan of the Shaken Udder milkshakes, I first found them in Sainsbury's a year or so ago and was obsessed, however they seemed to disappear off of the shelves and out of my life. Boo. Finally I chomped my way through (Whilst writing this post) the bag of Nachos, I love the branding of the chips and they tasted amazing, perfectly crispy and a really strong flavour. Big fan. 

The recipe card supplied is a really cool idea, whilst I am far from Gordon Ramsay (in the cooking sense, the 'F word' I manage just fine!) I may actually give cooking the supplied recipes a go! Don't hold me to this, health and safety may step in...

So basically two big thumbs up to Degusta Box! I am a big fan and would definitely recommend you to all give it a go and let me know what tasty snacks you receive! To make it taste that little bit better for you the lovely folks over at Degusta have given me a discount code for all of my readers to claim, you get a very cool £3.00 discount when you register for Degusta simply use the code J33JD - how good is that?! To purchase Degusta Box CLICK HERE to head to the website. Finally don't forget to follow them and me on Twitter - click the links @ImSamSquire and @DegustaBoxUK!

The Award Goes To...

Soo a slight change from the scheduled blog post (it'll be live tomorrow) - I had some awesome news today, the awesome folk over at GroomU (check them out) dropped me a tweet and an email to tell me that I have been shortlisted for a 'Best Newcomer' blogging award. Pretty snazzy, correct?

I am really flattered, the fact that me and my silly little thoughts that I type down might actually win an award is pretty blummin' crazy. 

So, this is the time when I need y'all most! Voting closes on 25th April and I would absolutely adore you if you vote for me. If you love checking out my blog, follow me on twitter or are just a crazy human that got lost on the internet and ended up here, yes, you too - I am begging for you to go and drop me a vote. It takes simply a second of your time to vote and can be done on Twitter or Facebook, so even important people like David Cameron, The Queen and Katie Hopkins can cast a vote! I have left a link below for you to click, it takes you straight to the voting page. Please when you have voted drop a comment below or drop me a Tweet @ImSamSquire so I can personally thank you. 

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR ME....I'LL ADORE YOU FOREVER.

March Faves

I love finding great new products and these few are a fantastic example of new products that I am loving. It's Spring(ish) and I am loving products that make me feel fresh and clean. 

 I've been using the deodorant by Dove for about a year or so now, only recently I changed my shower gel after fancying a change. After sniffing my way down the aisle in Tesco I finally decided on the Dove Men+care.  It's called Extra Fresh which is everything I have ever wanted in a shower gel. I have to say it's really great it smells good and as I've been swimming loads lately so I want one that gets rid of that clingy chlorine smell, this definitely does the job!

I have been fed up of my fluffy mad hair and started using the Schwarzkopf Powderful styling powder, which I found really good, it worked well but had a really funky smell. I don't know whether it is just me but I feel it smells like a farm - of all the things it could smell of. So I headed out and got myself this very jazzy little pot of Ted Baker Hair Putty. It has a masculine cologne kind of smell - really fresh. 

 Finally it's the product that I am most obsessed with at the mo, the Black Charcoal Wash from L'Oréal Men Expert - I mainly bought this because it said it 'Captures Dirt, Pollution and Oil' - I always find after a day out and about my face just feels sad, my skin needs a good rejuvenate - this absolutely hands down does this. I am not normally one for High-street brand face cleansers because in the past they haven't worked for me, however I have got to say this works really well. It leaves your skin feeling really clean, smooth and tight.

 

The Close Shave

Shaving and finding the right products to do so is something that a lot of guys struggle with. So many products you can get in a drug store can be harsh on your skin, especially if you have sensitive or troublesome skin. I recently got contacted by the awesome folks over at Bluebeards Revenge. First off, what a blummin amazing name for a company, secondly they offered to send me a couple of things to try out. They sent me the shave solution and a cooling moisturiser. I have been using them for almost a week now so here's my verdict. 

The Shaving Solution

Not only is the packing pretty blumming cool but the product is really good. Before I was using a Nivea For Men shave foam which I found really harsh on my skin and I couldn't leave it on too long because of the stinging from it. This shave solution is really lightweight, it's more like a cream so it in itself feels really moisturising before even putting on the moisturiser. I used a Wilkinson Sword razor which worked as a great combination, the blades never cut as well with the Nivea foam but with this solution I get a really clean shave. They actually claim that most people say they have absolutely no issues with razor burn or acne around the mouth - I don't suffer with either normally so I couldn't say if the product 100% does this or not but it is pretty believable. Really and truly this is a great product and does a great job. 

 

The Moisturiser

I am always really sceptical of moisturisers as it doesn't take much at all to make my skin feel really greasy so wasn't feeling overly great about testing the product. However, as we reviewers do, I reluctantly used it and was totally surprised. It feels like it actually works into the skin unlike some others I have tried, most moisturisers feel like they just sit on top of your skin, but within minutes this dries off and leaves your face feeling really smooth. The scent is really nice too, it's very masculine but not overly perfumed. I am genuinely going to keep using this as it has kept my skin feeling in great condition. 

 

Both of the products worked way beyond my expectations. I am really impressed and would personally recommend the brand to anyone that has relatively sensitive skin. They have a crazy range of products for you to check out - to have a browse of their site Click Here. 

 

What is your favourite shaving product? Have you tried Bluebeards? Don't forget to follow me on Twitter - I have a new handle: @ImSamSquire. You can also Like my Facebook page where I am currently hosting an exclusive giveaway to all of the followers Click Here to check it out. Finally give Bluebeards Revenge a follow on Twitter too - show them some lurve @TheBluebeards.

 

 

 

Better Ways to Spend £1.5Million

As you should know by now, the queen of the Geordie’s Cheryl Cole is to return to the X-Factor this year. Simon has reportedly won her back offering a £1.5million pay check, not too bad for a desk job, right? A little steep, I have compiled a list of 5 things you can buy for £1.5million that would most likely be more useful than our Chezza.

Posh Loo Roll

At a scary £6 per roll, the coloured loo roll by Renova is said to be Simon’s favourite. Did you know you could get yourself a crazy 250,000 rolls of the stuff for £1.5mil – Simon surely regrets not taking that offer?! That’s a lorra lorra loo roll.

Stash Your Balls

When you think of Tiffany what do you think? Expensive presents! Well, why not get yourself the Tiffany Tennis Ball Can? It does what it says on the tin (pardon the pun). However you’ll have to buy your own balls because they aren’t included! The can costs £1500 so you and 999 other friends can be totes envied by other posho’s.

Park Your Bum

We all like a good comfy toilet seat, I would hope. And decorative ones are even better, no I am not talking about tacky, remember, we’re being sophisticated. At £250 you can get yourself a carbon fibre loo seat for every room of the house (6000 of them to be precise).

It’s Raining Money

For all those rain showers that happen when you’re out and about why don’t you get yourself and your friends some Croc Skin Umbrellas? Surely it makes sense. At a breathtaking £50,000 a piece, only your 29 closest chums will join you in the elite gaggle of posh brollies.

Cash To Spare

With all that critique Simon surely needs a nice pen to write with? And for such an extravagant man comes an extravagant pen, the worlds most expensive pen is covered in 30 carats and comes in at a rather cheap £1,470,600 – perhaps I’ll stick to Bic pens…

One thing you couldn’t buy.

Whilst Si has pockets bulging with cash, he simply would not be able to afford the piano used in the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, which was auctioned off for $3.22million - Dannii Minogue may also be out of his price range.  

The Only Way Is 90's

I was born in the 90's which surely means it is acceptable for me to still dress like a 90's guy, correct? As a plethora of you who follow me on Twitter will know, I was recently in Essex for a few days and so popped along to a TOWIE favourite, no, not SugarHut and sorry Arg it isn't Pizza Hut either.  Baccus is a menswear store that is frequented by the likes of the ever-dapper Mario Falcone and his BFF/fellow love-rat Charlie Sims and now, ME! 

 

They stock a whole bunch on indie designers so I popped over and picked up a pretty blumming awesome t-shirt! It is by Cuckoo's Nest Clothing (amazing name) and cost £35 - yes, that is a little steep for a t-shirt but I think we all can gather I live a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget and the shirt was super well made and just caught my eye - I wasn't leaving without it in a bag! Just a side note, I took all the pictures in utterly vile lighting so I have done my best to make them workable! I feel like the shirt has a really spring-like vibe going on with the floral kind of pattern.

And of course, every 90's inspired outfit simply isn't complete without a bomber jacket? I am a huge ASOS fan and after already being an Insider I recently became a VIP, much excitement, basically I get a load of new benefits and exciting bits and bobs. So, thought I would treat myself to a new bomber jacket. This one really caught my eye, it was £50 and whilst they had some cheaper ones on offer, this one specifically caught my eye with it's bright colours. 

It's a really good look don't you think? It's vibrant and really perfect for this spring season as the sun is starting to shine!  What are your top spring trends this year? Let me know - you can Tweet me @ImSamSquire (new username #fancy) or use the Hashtag #SamSquire so I can see all the chat! Make sure to follow @BaccusStore and @Asos_Menswear on Twitter too!

Get Fizzy With It

I recently got a message from the lovely people over at SodaStream asking me if I'd be interested in reviewing one of their machines. I don't really drink hot drinks as I am much more of a carbonated drink kind of guy, be it fizzy water or soda drinks therefore this kind of product is perfect for me! I just want to be clear before starting the review, whilst SodaStream kindly sent me this to try, no words have been put in my mouth, only sweet carbonated drinks - these are all my own thoughts! 

I have simply got to start with the packaging because it was amazing, I am all about a nice box and believe me, this was a nice box! I wasn't sure how easy these were to use as I have only ever seen them in shops and haven't actually tinkered with one myself, however they claim it's easy peasy so I gave it a go! I was surprised at how easy it really is, there's 3 main steps:

1. Fill the bottle with water

2. Use the machine to carbonate the drink

3. Add desired syrup

That's literally all you need to do to make a drink! It's great because you can choose the level of carbonation that you want to put into the drink, so you can have it fine and tingly or super bubbly and burp-inducing. There's quite a few different machines that can be picked from, from the Stream range at £49.99 right up to the Revolution model retailing at £149.99 - I got the second-to-top of the range flagship model, the Source model in blue metal. The design is so sleek and it fits great into a modern kitchen. 

You get a load of testers with each machine to try a few of the many drinks on offer - they have actually recently released 'MyWater' which is a natural flavoured water syrup which I will absolutely give a go! It's a great idea because it is cheaper than a conventional carbonated store-bought drink and you get some satisfaction from knowing exactly what is in your drink. 

I'd definitely recommend the SodaStream due to their high-quality, ease of use and the sheer amount of flavours you can pick from! To buy your own or to check them out visit the SodaStream website Click Here. They also are social little blighters, follow them on Twitter @SodaStreamUK

Have you tried a SodaStream or want to give it a go? Got a question or something to say then leave it in the comments below or Tweet me @ImSamSquire (yes I have a new username) or use the Hashtag #SamSquireFizz!

Popchips Giveaway!

I am a massive snacker, and my favourite has got to be Popchips, I literally eat so many I should be their brand ambassador. So, I've teamed up with the lovely faces over at @PopchipsUK to give one of you a whole months supply of Popchips. You're very welcome.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is use the super quick and easy box below!. There's 3 ways to enter, each one you do will give you another entry which means more chances of winning those glorious crisps! You can tweet about the competition ONCE a day!

Enter Here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Sidenote: Due to an issue with my last giveaway, it will be re-run next week so keep your eyes peeled.

Competition Time

 Want to win yourself a pair of British Boxers as reviewed by me along with a couple of beanie hats for your or a man that's in your life? It is super easy to enter, follow the instructions below! If you have any questions regarding the competition comment below or contact samsquireblog@gmail.com. This is just one of many competitions I'll be running this month! There's a tonne more of awesome giveaways. 

There is 2 entries available per person which gives you double the chance of winning. Simply enter below for your chance to win! Good Luck!

Sam Squire British Boxers

I Can Do The Fandango

The quite fantastic people over at a quirky brand called Scaramouche and Fandango sent me over a couple of their products to try, you know me - I love trying products out and giving you my full and honest opinion! 

First off, I love their branding, each product is known by 2 letters, so I was sent Shampoo and Conditioner which are known to Scaramouche as Sh and Cd, I don't know if it is meant to but it reminds me of the periodic table from back in the day at school...yes, I actually learned something! They have these super sleek matte black bottles with the different coloured writing on each product, which for me is super handy - I wear glasses so when I am in the shower often cant see what I am picking up, these bright colours make it so much easier!

I started using them a week ago and I am now literally hooked! They make my hair super soft and before when I was just using any Shampoo I could find, my hair felt dry and looked a bit of a mess, however since using Scaramouche it feels soft and in much better condition. I have got to say I am really impressed, for a while I was wanting to try some of the Scaramouche products and if the rest work as well as these two beauties then I am definitely down to try a few more of their products! 

I cant really fault them, I am big on design which they have executed perfectly, and I love a product that works as well as these both do! You can buy Scaramouche and Fandango products direct from their website simply Click Here. What are your thoughts? Have you tried Scaramouche or which ones caught your eye? Drop a comment below or Tweet me @SamSquireBlog.

Keep your eyes peeled on the blog over the coming week because there is some exclusive chances for you to bag yourself some goodies in some super cool competitions! 

The BRITs 2014 - The Good and The Bad

The BRIT Awards took place last night! Believe it or not, there was something of an OK show between James Corden’s tragic attempts at humour. However, he’s my least favourite parts.

Most arrogant man of the year…

This ‘gent’ managed to bag himself the Sam Squire Most Arrogant Man award. He is the front man for the Arctic Monkeys, I care so little about who he is that I have done no research, his name? No clue. All I know is he genuinely believes he is ‘RocknRoll’ which is an utter shame for everything good in life, he’s about as RocknRoll as my left sock. I can only hope he takes stylespiration from Shia Labeouf and in future wears a paper bag on his head reading ‘I BELIEVE IM SOMETHING I AM NOT’. We live in hope.

Jessie’s Lips…

I’m not sure if Jessie went down with some sort of hypothermia or something but her lips went a VERY strange colour. The former Voice UK Coach wore yet another camelicious cat suit for her Red Carpet appearance. No one appreciated it.

Ziggy Moss…

The uber famous model accepted an award for her friend David Bowie and channelled her inner Ziggy wearing one of the costumes from Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust days.  I always believe we should stick to what we know, Kate is a perfect advocate for my belief, a stilted speech read from a card somehow doesn’t cut the mustard.  I genuinely think if you cannot be bothered to collect your award then you shouldn’t be awarded it at all.

Some positives…

Lorde…

I can only congratulate the NZ teen on her performance; it was the most ‘normal’ that I have ever seen her do. You can’t fault her singing at all, she’s brilliant live I just don’t understand the pawing at the air…maybe she was a cat in a former life.

Bastille…

Not only were the boys immaculately dressed but they also won! Congratulations to the four-piece on a well deserved win. Not only do they give a fantastic live performance but they’re just generally nice guys. Also one word. Bastimental. This whole merging of words could take off, they were Fantexellent. No? Huge fan of this band.

Best Dressed Man…

Tinie – you simply cannot fault this man, what impeccable style he has. Always seriously on point. 

Worst Dressed Man…

Lemon – Oh Keith, what were you thinking?! Pharrell’s hat was awful on Pharrell and on you it is simply worse. Unless you’re becoming a pilgrim father, please ditch that hat!

What did you think? Comment below or drop me a tweet @SamSquireBlog

Shameless Begging!

Today I am here to beg for your money. No, literally I am. For a little while now I have been working on developing a website for men full of my favourite fashion and small independent designer brands including clothing, shoes, accessories, skincare and more. However this whole blogging malarky doesn't pay too well, does it? So, I have set up a page about it on Crowdfunding website Indiegogo. 

Route 56 is the name of the brand and it'll be a website full of the great brands that I love, the online shop will mean that I'm bringing all these brands together under one 'roof' and making them accessible in one place. It's something I have wanted to do for a while now but the funding barrier has been holding me back. As mentioned on the campaign (Click Here for the link) I have a big plan for Route 56 including moving it into a men's highstreet boutique shop. So in funding the current project and getting it off the ground, you will be funding for the future. 

I know there will be many a person out there that will criticize the fact that I am so shamelessly asking for investment but I'm not really that bothered about that. I live by the whole 'If you don's ask, you don't get' saying and I'd love to one day be able to employ people to work for Route 56 and help me to achieve the dream that I have had.  There is the flip side though, without sufficient funding I will not be able to launch Route 56 and it'll simply be an idea that I will have to forget about. Believe me, if I could fund this whole thing myself I would!

If you want to help me to achieve this, please Click Here to be taken to the Indiegogo page, I have no set pledge limits, you can give whatever you want because every small or large donation will help me immensely to get this off the ground. I have a million ways to thank you all for helping me with the project. Here's the first: Thank you.

Confessions of a Singletine

 Ah lovely, Valentines Day is here, yes, that is sarcasm you detect! As someone that is more single than a Pringle (they live in a tub, you cannot be a ‘single pringle’) and being less of a mingle than those minty chocolates (what happened to them by the way?!) I have spent the day begrudgingly selling chocolates to boyfriends who ‘forgot’ the date and to women who wanted to get a card on discount…

So, here is my guide to help everyone that will be ‘celebrating’ Singletines Day along with me this year, I like to nickname V Day ‘EFF OFF! Day’ - why? Well simply because it’s the one day a year where us singles openly tell smooshy couples to eff off. Here’s the top ways to distract yourself from those godawful couples. Singletines, I salute you.

1. Order a take out.

No meal out for us tonight, no way – let’s not be reminded of our current relationship status, no. Get yourself a menu and order yourself a big fat greasy take out, plus there’s the bonus that no one will see you in a restaurant and assume you’re comfort eating, I do not comfort eat, simply make myself happier with a plethora of meals.

2. Dogs are a Singletines best friend.

Nothing makes life more complete than a pup. I personally believe a French Bulldog or a Pug are more than adequate at showing love and affection, their adorable little faces will light up your life. However, careful you don’t go overboard; no one likes a crazy pug person.

3. DO NOT DRINK

Alcohol is strictly forbidden today, we all know what will happen, you’ll promise to just have the one however, one glass (bottle) of wine and a few voddy’s later you suddenly decide to give your ex or your dream partner a ring or even just a text, well, we all know the disaster that goes on from here, so no alcohol!

I really hope this helps, you can do it Singletine! I just sure hope next year you can tell your story of how you used to be a Singletine!

Dreams

So today I just wanted to do a short post, I guess it’s kind of lifestyle based. It’s about dreams and not giving up on them. You should never feel stupid or embarrassed by having something you’d really like to do in life, whether it’s climb a mountain, go on the X Factor or write a book, everything is achievable with a good mental attitude.  Look at obstacles thrown at you not as a barrier in your way but as motivation, if someone tells you it’s a stupid idea or it’ll never happen, okay that’s their opinion, maybe the thing that you want to do isn’t something they’d want to do, big deal – be yourself and achieve what you want to achieve.  I recently got some news about a really cool opportunity and originally I felt I couldn’t tell my family because to them it’d seem almost laughable and stupid, but to me it’s something I really want to do and only now I am starting to think, fair enough to them it may be stupid and embarrassing, but to me it’s something I’d like to attempt and it’s just another experience you can add to the tick list of life! 

I’m now at the point where I am asking myself ‘why not?’ and kind of feel stupid for overreacting and feeling like I couldn’t tell anyone due to fear of being laughed at.  I mean, you can achieve anything you want to in life, if you have a silly dream or aspiration then just do it, because I am pretty sure if you let the opportunity pass, you'll really kick yourself! Actually, after writing this post I feel better about this opportunity, it’s not something that comes your way every day and I don’t see the big deal I made out of wanting to tell my family but feeling too stupid. In conclusion, if you want to travel the moon then start building your ladder now – you WILL make it! I hope you haven't washed away in this ghastly weather, roll on the summer time!

As always you can comment below, or drop me a tweet @SamSquireBlog. You can now discuss the blog on Twitter giving me tips and requests for posts using the unique hashtag on each post. To chat use #SSDreams

How Very British

It seems now that buying British made fashion products is almost a trend in itself. I was recently contacted by British Boxers who wanted to send me a pair to check out. I noticed they were made in Britain and it was something that really caught my eye, it isn’t often that you see British made clothing, with the majority of the industry being outsourced to different countries around the world due to cost. However just recently there seems to be a trickle of British made garments making their way onto the market.

Being a small brand, I hadn’t heard of British Boxers before, but I am pretty blummin impressed! They sent me over their press release, thank goodness because I’m so bad at just making assumptions…woohoo actual facts!

Created by Deborah, the whole concept of British Boxers seems to be focused around Jem Mace – Jem is described as ‘arguably the world first heavyweight boxing champion’.  The branding of the product is super good; they come in a card box that has a really vintage-esque feel about it. I am really impressed actually, the quality of the boxers themselves is really great, I can’t actually find any way to fault them. They can be purchased direct from http://www.dapsquared.co.uk/shop/ and are £22 a pair, they are also available on Not On The Highstreet and a scattering of indie retailers around the UK.

I’d say this is a really exciting brand, it has a really authentic British feel, with the brilliant quality and unique branding, I put these as a brand to watch out for, they have really found a gap in the market. Did I mention they also do beanie hats…like I said before, cannot fault them!

Have you tried them out or are you looking to? Drop me a message with your thoughts; you can drop me a tweet @SamSquireBlog using the hashtag #SSBritishBoxers or comment below! Don’t forget to check out British Boxers on Twitter, their handle is @GrandpaJem.

Grover & Friends Review

 Subscription boxes are growing in popularity with makeup, food and techy boxes dominating the market, specially curated ones for the fashionable man seem to be still in the background of this competitive new industry.  The kind people from Grover & Friends offered to send me out a box to check out and review, I couldn't resist. Grover is a monthly subscription box for men, they state their goal as 'to bring men around the world a superior customer experience and fantastic new styles'. Thats a pretty cool goal to have, basically make men everywhere in the world just that little bit more trendy, did I just actually say 'trendy'? Forgive me. 

The box I received was 'The Rain Box' oooh! Inside was 2 products. Product 1 was by Grover and was one of their made in LA crew neck t-shirts. I have to say it is ridiculously soft, I can only imagine it feels the same as if you wore a cotton candy shirt...however, they had me at 'made in LA'. 

Second in the box of magic was the Claude Klassic Rain Jacket by KWAY. I haven't actually heard of KWAY - blasphemous, right? According to the neat little info card Grover include, KWAY have been making jackets since 1965. On opening the box I had no idea what it was, I was somewhat excited that I had taken a step back to the 90's and got a bum bag (fanny pack to our friends across the pond) however this rain mac folds inside its own pocket! Yes I did just say that. You can then using the elasticated band, wear it around your waist and look like some funky 80's dude. 

For the price, I'd say you get a really great box, some months you get more items than others but it all depends on the retail value of the items you get. Grover offer 3 different plans, first up is Monthly this costs $49.99 (£30.60) and means you can cancel at any time. Second is Bi-annually, this costs $249.95 (£153.32) this acts sort of like a 6 month contract so you get a box a month for 6 months, plus 1 free box! Finally is the Annual contract - with this you pre-pay $449.91 and receive a box a month for a full year, you also get 3 free boxes with this plan, everyone loves a freebie! Grover ship across the world from LA and I got my box in literally 5 days which I would say is pretty fast! I'd really recommend Grover, I may even sign up myself! To check out more information, see previous boxes and sign up, visit the Grover & Friends website friends.grover.us. Thinking of trying a Grover box or have you tried one? Drop me your thoughts and questions in the comments below or on Twitter @SamSquireBlog.