Luckily, you can get around this, should it ever happen to you. If you’re shopping for leather jackets online, and find that what you want is no longer available, you can email us, and hand over your vital measurements. We’ll not only check that there’s really, truly no more in stock, we’ll check what we do have to make sure there’s nothing else that will suit your measurements.

The measurements needed have to be exact – no fudging to hide that Christmas pudding you’re carrying. Remember to measure wearing what you’ll normally wear under the leather jacket – a t-shirt or jumper etc. The chest should be measured around the widest part, as too, the waist. Throwing in your shoe size will give an indication of how tall you are, and your frame. However, telling us how tall you are will help, too! Let us know your build (don’t be shy) – are you large, small, thin? What size do you normally take? And lastly, tell us how you want the jacket to fit: fitted is 1" larger than your chest, semi-fitted is 2", comfort is 3 and loose is 4. Oh, don’t forget the actual jacket you saw – the name of the style, the colour and the kind of leather you’d like it in.

By sending in these details we can see if there’s something that you might like, if we don’t have the actual jacket in stock. Bear in mind, however, that with sale stock it’s generally what we have at the time. Usually, there’s no more and so once that particular style, colour or whatever is sold out, that’s it. Having said all that, clearance and sale items are a great way of picking up cheap leather jackets that will boost your wardrobe with a piece that can be worn anywhere, with anything, and by anyone. Whether timeless and classic or modern and hip, a decent leather coat is something that everybody should own.

Some great bargain buys can be picked up in clearance sales. Cheap leather jackets are now being sported by the younger generation due to their versatility and low cost. They can be worn with anything, and their affordability makes them attractive to the younger crowd. They can be seen to and from work (and even some schools), in town with pals or out with families.

Leather blazers, on the other hand, scream expensive – but need not be. A well-cut leather coat can look like it cost a packet but actually cost very little; it all depends on where you source it. Of course, having one tailor-made might run up the price, but it’ll fit you like a glove and no doubt look like it cost far more than it actually did. And if you don’t put on too much weight as you get older, a leather jacket made to your measurements can be worn well into your twilight years!

Leather biker jackets are huge at the moment, especially with the current tattoo trend. It seems everyone these days is sporting ink somewhere on their bodies, and what better way to compliment the look than with chunky, belted, zippered, low-slung leather coats. Designed to be functional and practical, a biker jacket will ensure your back doesn’t get too cold while you’re motoring down the highway with your gal (or guy) riding shotgun. And slung over the bike when you pull up, you can still maintain the look as you show off your tatts.

Classic ladies’ leather jackets are indeed timeless. Whether made-to-measure or off-the-shelf, a women’s leather jacket can be teamed with jeans, a skirt, or trousers. In an emergency it can be worn over a formal outfit and not look too out of place. It is equally at home on a picnic or out at dinner.

Even the not-so-humble red leather jackets are still being seen (how can you miss them!). Can be worn to revive an old outfit or set alight a new one, a red coat can make you stand out in the crowd – it’s just up to you how much and how good you’ll look while doing it!

The ethical toy debate

The toy industry, which is said to worth around £8 billion, has long been criticised for its lack of environmental awareness. However, that hasn’t stopped adults from splashing the cash. By the time the average British child reaches the age of 16, they will have owned around £11,000 worth of toys. It’s impossible for all those toys to have been made from sustainable materials or be ethically sound, so what’s being done to improve the situation?

The answer has, until recently, been very little. The mass market for cut-price toys lends itself to huge industrialisation leading to outsourcing and then questionable labour rights for the workforce who produce the products. Then there’s the materials used in manufacture.

The idea of the ‘toxic toybox’ has been in evidence for decades. A 1997 study into 71 toys from 17 countries found that they contained between 10 and 40 per cent of a plasticiser that is connected to childhood asthma and reproductive disorders. And the problems still exist today. As recently as 2007, around 21 million toys were recalled for posing hazards such as excessive levels of lead paint.

So, the manufacturing process is damaging to health, natural resources are being depleted and the recycling of toys that are no longer wanted is near on impossible because the materials simply can’t be reused. Will parents refuse to buy their child the latest Dalek or Transformer toy based on these revelations?

Eco-friendly toys

There’s a long way to go until the mainstream toy industry ensures all materials are sustainable and all factory workers are given fair wages and basic human rights. However, this will be the decade of the environment and consumers are waking up to the fact that things have to change.

The majority of ethical toys made from sustainable materials are wooden and while this may not appeal to the ipod generation of kids, it makes sense for the tiny tots. Sustainable toys made from sustainable hale wood or rubberwood and coloured with vegetable dyes remove the danger of potential toxic poisoning and reduce the devastation of natural resources.

Fairtrade toys produced by workers in impoverished areas give communities the chance to work for a decent wage and the profits are utilised to improve health and education.

Recycled toys manufactured from materials that have been recycled (and are recyclable when the toy is no longer wanted) reduces waste going to landfill.

These options are available to us as consumers and the more we demand them, the quicker the toy industry will change its practices.

How to be an ethical pet owner

As a pet owner you naturally want to keep your cat or dog in the best of health. Just as humans benefit from natural materials and ingredients, so do animals. When buying pet supplies, products and gifts, consider what they’re made from, how they’ve been manufactured and the impact that has on the planet. You’ll be doing your pet and the environment a big favour.

Consider these factors to determine whether your pet products are ‘green’:

What materials have been used?

The manufacturing process for any product takes a toll on the environment but that can be minimised by selecting goods produced using sustainable materials. Natural materials do not deplete the planet’s resources so rapidly and a good example of this is cat litter. You can buy litter made from corn, pine, cedar and wheat. These materials can be easily composted which means less waste going to landfill or incinerators.

Also consider buying organic dog collars and leashes made from natural materials. Hemp is an ideal material because it’s hard-wearing but soft so it doesn’t rub the skin. And for dogs with sensitive skin, hemp is great because it’s hypoallergenic.

Hemp Dog Collar Small – Lime	Hemp Dog Lead Small – Lime

Buy pet toys that are safe

Cats and dogs love to play with toys but they can quickly destroy them with their over-exuberance. Many toys have chemical residues within the material which is bad for the environment and bad for your pet. Buy toys that are made using natural materials – they are biodegradable but also should your pet bite a piece off and swallow it, it won’t do them any harm.

These dog and cat chew toys are perfect. Made from Loofah, a fast-growing renewable resource similar to pumpkin and cucumber, the toys are great for chewing and will also help to keep you pet’s teeth clean. Dogs and cats love the smell and texture too.

Loofah Cat Toy Set	Loofah Bone Dog Toy – Large

Buy natural pet food and treats

As humans we’re becoming more aware of what we’re putting into our bodies and so we avoid foods grown with pesticides or manufactured using artificial colours, flavour enhancers and preservatives. You should do the same for your pets by buying natural and organic pet food that is produced using free-range meat and poultry and includes whole grains and wheat. Also, with natural pet food, meat by-products such as fats are removed.

When it comes to pampering your pet, give them organic treats which have a good source of vitamins to keep their bones and coat healthy.

Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach & Herb Mini Dog Treats	‘From the Ocean’ Mini Cat Treats

These products and more are easily available over the internet from online ethical websites such as www.greentulip.co.uk. Do something good for yourself, your pet and the environment by going green with your pet products.

If you’re looking for the perfect present for the man in your life, there are websites where you can buy ethical gifts that are affordable and the money you pay will go towards helping communities around the world.

Why buy fair trade and ethical Christmas presents

Goods that are marked ‘fair trade’ are produced by people and communities who are paid a higher price than if they were selling to existing markets. The extra money is usually invested in social projects to improve housing, education and health or to just improve wages.

Ethical goods are those which are produced in conditions that are safe and legal for the workers. Although things are improving, even today workers in poorer countries are exposed to unsafe working conditions with many children forced to work when they are under the legal age.

Another reason to buy ethical Christmas presents is the benefit to the environment. Ethical gifts are made using materials that are natural and sustainable. Going ‘green’ with your gifts this year can help put a stop to harmful manufacturing practices which are destroying the planet and endangering thousands of species.

Ethical gift ideas for men

There are some great ethical Christmas gifts for husbands and boyfriends such as beer glasses made from empty beer bottles. This is the ultimate in glass recycling as the ‘Grolsch’ or ‘Sol’ bottle is simply flipped upside down to create a chunky glass for your beer.

Grolsh Glasses – Pair	Sol Glasses – Pair

Children looking for an ethical Christmas gift for dad might like to put their pocket money toward a scented candle especially created for men. They come with ‘operating instructions’ in case dad isn’t sure how to work a candle and spicy fragrances to give a splash of motor oil or added danger to the room.

Mans Candle – With A Splash Of Motor Oil	Mans Candle – For Added Danger

Have you drawn a male colleague in your ‘Secret Santa’ at work and stuck for an idea of what to buy? How about a natural cure for their hangover after the Christmas night out. These Ginseng hangover drops will give them a boost in the office the next day.

Hangover Drops

An alternative Christmas gift

There are countless mass-market gifts you can give a man but why not make this year the time when you give an alternative gift – one that channels money to projects and people who need the help while also helping the planet by not using up vital resources and materials.

This Christmas, you can help lift people out of poverty, protect their human rights and help save the environment from further destruction. What better gift can you give than that?

Choosing organic baby clothes

One of the great reasons to go organic with your infant’s clothing is down to the natural materials and fibres used in the manufacturing process. Many materials used in baby clothes contain dyes, pesticides and metals which are potentially harmful to a young child, particularly if they suffer with allergies. Not so with organic materials which can actually help to eliminate this risk. Child care experts also recommend organic clothing for children who suffer with skin conditions as the natural materials can significantly reduce irritation.

With that in mind, look for clothing that is made using organic cotton. This cotton is much softer and more durable than standard cotton and better for your baby’s skin than synthetic materials such as polyester. Organic cotton has also not been treated with any chemicals and the garments will be coloured and printed using environmentally-responsible plant-based or herbal-based dyes.

Where to buy organic clothing for babies

As the demand for organic children’s clothing increases, so the big companies are trying to cash in on consumers appetite for all things green. Unfortunately, many of the big retailers are putting profits ahead of ethical practices and what the customer buys isn’t always what it seems. Ethical gift websites are a great place to start in your search for ethically sourced and manufactured organic baby clothes.

When you find an online retailer, the next question to ask is how environmentally conscious is the company you’re buying from. Look for a retailer who deals with small suppliers and organic trade associations as they will check on the ethical sourcing of the products they stock. This guarantees that you are getting something that is Fairtrade, organic or eco-friendly. Try to use a reputable ethical products retailer who gives a percentage of their profits to charitable organisations or supports social causes with regular donations.

What organic baby clothes to buy

As any parent will testify, a baby requires a lot of clothing mainly due to the mess they make after feeding or when a nappy needs changing. Organic baby bodysuits and playsuits are essential babywear and there’s a beautiful range of classic and understated baby clothes available for boys and girls.

These recommended products are perfect for the fashion-conscious parent who wants quality baby clothes that will last for many years.

	A stylish white baby playsuit with navy dots and trim. Perfect for daywear or nightwear and machine washable.
	This funky pink playsuit made from natural cotton will be soft and comfortable against your baby’s skin.
	A beautiful kimono-style product that looks great when put together with a skirt or trousers. Easy to dress your child in and fully machine washable.

My first foray into presents from Wales was embarrassingly enjoyable. I picked out a few nice pieces of jewellery for a female friend’s birthday and she simply adored them. The fact that they had personal significance made them even more special. The design was a flower from her homeland, and it was set with some stones that matched her eyes perfectly. The jewellery was small and packaged snugly in some little cases so when she travelled back to her university (in Aberystwyth) it fit in her luggage perfectly.

I went a little mad on cufflinks, buying my male relatives and my boyfriend a shirt and cufflinks for every conceivable occasion (Christmas, birthdays, Fathers’ Day and even Easter). Followed up with the odd tie and pair of socks, my men were the best dressed in town. The trouble with that was we had to co-ordinate who was wearing what to which event. Once, several family members wore the same shirt to a birthday dinner and none of us have lived it down. The art of remembrance of embarrassing incidents is one my family holds proud.

After the rush of engagements and weddings, for which I was fond of personalised glassware and mugs, came the inevitable baby boom. Soft toys were showered upon babes everywhere, and no newborn’s nursery was left unadorned. Fleece blankets were also draped across prams, and I had the idea to embroider the names of the babies along with their birthdates in a corner. The new mums loved them!

I became a gift buying expert, and people began liaising with me to find out what to buy for upcoming occasions. I started to keep lists, and then my friend (from the university in Aber) put me onto a website where I could find all the presents I needed for every family event. Everything from novelty to serious gifts was on the website, and I began to organise who would buy what. T-shirts for boyfriends’ birthdays, tankards for twenty-firsts, mugs for mums and dolls for daughters. Christmas was now a time of year I looked forward to, and I got right into the whole present thing.

And of course, everyone I knew gradually got a dragon as a gift – somewhere along the line, people received a little reminder that I was Welsh.

However, buying a leather jacket is something that people still tend to think about at a particular time of year. The start of the Autumn/Winter season traditionally sees a surge in sales of leather jackets and coats as they are often thought of as being only suitable for wearing during the colder months despite the fact that many modern leather jackets are actually ideally suited to wearing on a summer evening out.

The more astute shopper though will plan ahead and buy their mens leather jacket or ladies leather jacket earlier in the year as during the summer months there are some great bargains to be had on various styles of jackets and coats.

Many styles of leather jacket are timeless classics that, unlike many other types of clothing, never go out of style. This makes buying a leather jacket during the summer sales period an entirely sensible choice. You will basically be buying the same jacket as you would be during the autumn or winter, but you could be saving pounds on the price.

For over 30 years, Blue Moon has been designing leather coats and jackets for both men and women. They offer a wide choice of classic styles at great prices coupled with excellent customer service. They have leather jackets suitable for all occasions and their range includes styles that are smart and casual and suited to all tastes. They also offer some great deals on jackets bought during the summer so now is the perfect time to visit their website and save money on your perfect leather jacket.

While waiting for a bus, I’d file my nails (between visits to the beautician, of course). At the aforementioned red light, I’d reapply lipstick that had been left on coffee cups all over the city, and brush on a little blush to hide shiny spots. My favourite brand quickly became Laval, and I became a Laval cosmetics convert. They had the cutest shade of nail polish, and I could shop online and order complimentary shades to match outfits in my wardrobe. The best thing was I could order gifts for friends and have them delivered to their house. I had no need to go shopping (but I did; it gave me an excuse to get dolled up and try on new cosmetics).

The kids didn’t suffer for my beauty, though. The website also had toys, and no inexpensive cosmetic order was complete with a few odds and ends for my children. The best thing was that I could order batteries from the site as well, so the bottom drawer in our kitchen became known as the ‘look there’ draw – "look there before you ask me". As batteries died in their toys, MP3 players, calculators and the like, they could help themselves to new ones without interrupting me as I got dinner ready, did the washing, ironing, and applied my makeup. And I usually threw in a few household products too, so I didn’t have to waste valuable shopping time picking up things for home.

In short, finding The Crazy Trader was the best thing to happen to my family in some time. We all got something out of it, and my friends and I love catching up to gossip over girly stuff – who’d have thought it?