Review: Jacamo AW18 Menswear

We've been lucky enough to work with Jacamo menswear in the last week, testing out a couple of products from their AW18 range. Seeing as Anthony was the one getting the benefit of this, I made him put the work in and write a review of his choices...

Today I tried on the new deliveries that I’d got from Jacamo. My previous experience of Jacamo extended no further than the adverts featuring Johhny Vegas, so I was pretty pleased to see an easy to use site with a pretty decent looking inventory, that, most importantly, actually carried my size, because the problem that I have is that something is either in my size, or I like how it looks, never both.

I had a long look about the site and for my first purchases I chose the Eterna Double Cuff Formal Shirt (in plain white, size 18 1/2) and the Suede Look Chukka Boots (a size 10 in Tan).



I wear a white shirt most days, its part of the uniform for me, suit, tie and starched white shirt, so the Eterna Double Cuff Shirt was something that has to hold up through meetings, public events, and still look good at the end of the day and beyond to the post meeting drinks. And this shirt manages to do just that, the design of the shirt is a solid quality, with a stiff collar that shouts respect, and a plain front that can be worn as is, or be accessorised with ties, waistcoats or whatever.

The added bonus of this shirt is that being made for the taller gentleman, I’m finding that I have enough length in the sleeve, but also I’m finding that the extra length on the torso manages to get over my somewhat substantial gut, which is often a concern I need addressed when buying clothes.



As for the boots they generally meet my criteria for a really good shoe. Comfortable, looks good, and is inexpensive, normally I have to settle for Two out of Three of these criteria, but in this case I was pleasantly surprised, to hit that high benchmark, the boots really are pretty comfortable, I’ve worn them while walking to meetings and the comfort doesn’t seem to fade, and in terms of looks, the chukka boot is always a classic look, and as for the quality of shoe itself, I know its marketed as suede look, but I honestly don’t think that I could tell the difference, the boots are that well made.

It was a pleasure to use Jacamo and I think I’ll be returning after pay day, as being a bit of a clotheshorse its good to know that there’s well stocked website that carries my size.

Mailto Links Explained

What is a mailto link?

A mailto link, simply, is a link that enables the person who clicked it to send an email. It is created with HTML and, instead of opening a new web page or moving to another point on the same page, it activates the default email client on a user's computer.

If you want an example, here's one I prepared earlier: jess@babiafi.co.uk

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Why should I use a mailto link?

The main reason for using mailto links is to save your readers time. It means they won't have to copy and paste your email address - or risk typos when they retype it. I often see blogging guides recommend you make the email address on your 'work with me' page a mailto link, for example.

On the other hand, it can encourage spam and baffle people who aren't familiar with the option - especially as it might force open an email client they rarely if ever use. It all comes down to what's best for you and your target audience.

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How do I create a mailto link?

By using this HTML (you can copy and paste from the box):

<a href="mailto:name@email.com">Link Text</a>

Or, if you want to turn an image into a mailto link (change the width attribute to the percentage of the screen width you want the image to cover):

<a href="mailto:name@email.com"><img alt="description of your image here" src="URL of your image here" width="100%" /></a>

You might want to specify the subject line of the email, again to make it quicker for your readers and to help you differentiate which mailto link is generating interest. You need to use a question mark (?) at the end of the first parameter before going on to the next. To put spaces between the words you need to use '%20'.

<a href="mailto:name@email.com?subject=subject%20of%20the%20email">Link Text</a>

One last step I'll cover is adding in body text - the actual content of the email. Let's say you want to run a blog competition via email. You want the link text (AKA 'anchor text') to read 'Enter my competition', and the email subject line to read 'My Blog Competition'. In the body of the email you want 'Please enter me in the competition! :)'. Your HTML would look like this:

(Note that the second parameter and beyond needs to end in '&' before going on to the next.)

<a href="mailto:name@email.com?subject=My%20Blog%20Competition&body=Please%20enter%20me%20in%20the%20competition!%20:)">Enter my competition</a>

Or, if it's all getting a bit complicated, check out the mailto link HTML code generator over at Rapid Tables.

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For more posts like this, click the picture below:

Review - Room To Grow Toy Storage Basket

One of the things you soon learn upon having kids is that they generate a lot of stuff. Seriously, endless amounts of toys, clothing, equipment, random junk you daren't get rid of in case you absolutely desperately need it eighteen months from now... Worse, you somehow need to cram as much of it as you can into a room they turn into a bombsite the moment they open their eyes in the morning.

So, needless to say, when I was asked if I would like to review a toy storage basket from Room To Grow you can be sure I jumped at the chance.

Room To Grow is a kind of 'one stop shop' when it comes to children's bedrooms. Since 1996 they have been providing ingenious space saving furniture - including some of the most gorgeous beds you'll ever see - along with accessories and storage solutions. The other brands they stock are carefully chosen to provide top quality and to fit with their own brand ethos; the toy basket we're reviewing comes from Kiddiewinkles, an award winning British brand in their own right with a focus on enabling creative play.


The toy baskets come in a range of colours and designs, from blue gingham to candy stripes, and you can even get them personalised. I (bravely) let Marianna choose which design she liked best and she opted for the pink star basket. A few days later our basket arrived, folded flat and nicely packaged, and the real testing could begin!

The first thing you notice is the quality of the fabric. The colours are vibrant and the quilted fabric - 100% cotton - is lovely and soft and, of utmost importance for anything going into a kid's bedroom, machine washable. The second thing you notice is the size! These baskets are 50cm x 40cm, with a capacity of 78L. Marianna decided to demonstrate how big her new basket is the best way she knew how... by climbing into it.

After persuading her to get out of it, we took it upstairs to begin the mammoth task of organising her soft toy collection. I say mammoth not because she has a lot of soft toys - though she most certainly does - but because I couldn't see the floor of her bedroom for the amount of dolls, blocks, books and other sundries strewn across it.

A couple of hours later we actually got to the stage where we could get all the teddies down off the top of her wardrobe and go through them. I've been meaning to do this for a while now because Marianna keeps asking to play with them and, obviously, if they're being stored at a more child friendly height it just makes life easier for everyone.


After much deliberation Marianna parted with just three teddies and I began to worry that we wouldn't be able to fit all the remaining toys into their new home. In truth, she could have got the whole lot in there! I was really impressed with just how much the basket could hold and, once full, how easy it was to move to its 'tidy place' - the little built in cupboard where we keep Marianna's dress up clothes and inflatable ball pit.... The handles are strong and sturdy, and it's lightweight enough that Marianna could get it out herself.

The instant I left the room.

Still, come bedtime she was able to put all the soft toys back into the basket and I just lifted it back into position. Top marks all around, I think!

Mini Mart: Bad Mother Customs

Supplier: Bad Mother Customs
Website: Ebay store.

Products: Decal transfer sheets to use as scale tattoos, as well as miniature newspapers, comics and magazines. I was particularly interested in the Playboy magazines with pull out centre spreads as I haven't come across anybody else doing those in miniature! The 1/6 scale magazines are $7.00 each - I bought a retro looking one from 1982 (pictured above) which only has a few printed pages in the middle and the rest are blank, and a fully printed Catwoman one.

The print quality is pretty good, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up on the 1/12 scale magazines. I don't think it would be clear enough to read or anything. Still, they look really cool and that's the important thing!

Post and Packing: First class mail from the US at $2.00 per item which isn't bad, but there are no multiple item discounts.

Review: Meg Heath Dog Leads

If you're looking for dog collars or leads, Meg Heath has you covered. They also sell head collars, training leads and harnesses, and are always adding to the range. Everything is available in a wide range of colours - 18 right now! - and if you have something special in mind they will work with you to create bespoke collars and leads. In fact, none of their products are pre-made as you can customise the size, colour and fittings of every item you buy.

We went for the Double Tag Flat Collar (from £9.99) and the Double Up Lead (from £8), both in electric blue. The latter is particularly handy as you can use it at full length or half length, which is great if you don't want to carry multiple leads with you on walks.


I was really impressed with the quality - all items come with a five year guarantee and the stitching has a lifetime guarantee! Based in Lincolnshire, Meg Heath have been working with dogs in rescue, training, and boarding kennels since the mid 1980s. In other words, they know what they're doing when it comes to creating top notch products for your pooches.

Not satisfied with the challenge of getting Bracken to stay still long enough for a photograph, I then decided to get Marianna to pose with Bracken and the new double up lead. The lead is awesome. Getting a two year old and her best friend to co-operate... not so much.


Still, you can see what a gorgeous colour that lead is! Check out the range for yourself at Meg Heath Dog Leads. You can also connect with them on social media via Facebook and Twitter.

Meg Heath are also kindly offering a dog collar and lead to one lucky reader! Fill out the Gleam form below to get up to five chances to win. :)

Review: One Third Stories

One Third Stories are language learning tools - stories that start in English and end in another language. I reviewed the prototype last March and was really impressed with the concept and how well it worked. As I wrote then:

Languages open up a whole world of new opportunities and new experiences. The problem is, how do we introduce languages to young children in a way which makes them both accessible and fun? This is what One Third Stories have set out to accomplish and their approach is really something to get excited about!

Instead of throwing you in at the deep end, or just skirting the edges with a word followed by its translation, One Third Stories substitute English words for their counterparts, relying on the context of the surrounding sentence to clarify their meaning.



This short story follows a little girl who has lost her voice - the first couple of pages are English only, then Spanish words begin to appear as you move through the tale. This is such a fab idea, and feels a very natural way of learning new vocabulary. Enabling children to pick up those key words of the story very quickly is essential, as it inspires them to keep going by proving that they can do it. It's so much better than endlessly reciting the same thing over and over again, the way so many forays into language learning begin.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the books went into full production late last year. We were sent the Spanish language learning bundle (RRP £19.99) as a thank you for our initial support. These are also available in French, Italian, and German, and include a hardback book, audiobook, a set of 32 illustrated flashcards, and an activity book with puzzles and games. The hardback book alone is £14.99, so the bundle is really good value!

Obviously, Marianna is still too young (she only just turned two) to really engage with the concept wholescale, but she has enjoyed having the story read to her and pointing at the things she recognised, and repeating the Spanish words. I'm really excited to use it with her as she gets a little older though, and to use the same approach to start introducing some Welsh vocabulary before she starts learning it at school.

I really like that there are already options for ongoing learning - see the monthly subscription page - so you can continue to build on that initial enthusiasm! (Even better, OTS have kindly offered my readers a discount with the code BABIAFI15.)

Review: Tangle Teezer

I've had my Tangle Teezer brush for about two weeks now and I absolutely love it! In lieu of shouting from the rooftops (I mean, that sounds kind of dangerous), here's a review of my new favourite beauty product...

About Tangle Teezer

The brainchild of hair stylist Shaun Pulfrey, the product first made itself known to the public when it was turned down as an investment opportunity on Dragon's Den. I've never watched the show, but I still heard about the brush as a result of its appearance, proving that old adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity! They hit the shop shelves in 2008 and the brand just went from strength to strength, with the range expanding to include compact, children's, and waterproof versions.

The Salon Elite

As the name suggests, these are Tangle Teezer brushes aimed at salons. They come in really funky colour combinations and, most importantly, they were the cheapest version on eBay. Because eight years later I still hadn't tried the brand myself, and was kind of dubious that any brush could actually be that good. I was willing to give it a try though, as I'd hit the last ditch attempt point with my long hair.

About five or so years ago I had most of my hair shaved off. It's a long story but, basically, over bleaching had destroyed my hair and I'd always quite fancied the idea of a mohawk. Now, my hair is reaching below my bust line again and it was getting to be a nightmare, what with all the sticky toddler hands... I was sick of battling with it and figured I'd try the Tangle Teezer and, if it didn't do the trick, I'd go and get my hair cut short again.

The Best £7.50 I've Ever Spent

Okay, so I might be exaggerating slightly, but it really is one of the best purchase decisions I've ever made. I was sceptical that the rubbery teeth could tame my super thick hair - I shouldn't have been. Brushing my hair when dry is now an easy and, dare I say it, pleasant experience. The brush doesn't pull, and so I don't feel like crying after getting in from a windy walk.

It really comes into its own in the shower. I'd been using a basic large plastic comb to condition and unknot my hair, and it was a) painful and b) slow going. Now it's brushed through and smooth in moments, and the teeth keep all the shed hair in the brush so you can comb it out in to the bin - rather than having to drag it all out of the plughole. (Yuck!)

If you're reading this to make a decision about buying one of these brushes, go for it! You will not be disappointed.


You can get Tangle Teezer brushes at the official website, in Boots, on Amazon and eBay, and from any number of other online retailers.