#OOTD : Winter wool

Jumper - New look.   Denim shirt - River island .   Collar pins - Top man. 

Looking pale as usual

Hi everyone !  :D Winter has stuck it's stubborn heels into the ground and doesn't seem to be budging for miss spring any time soon. As I choose to wrap up in my wool clothes and heavy knitted jumpers, I decided to share with you one of my more smart casual looks I would wear in the colder months.

I've taken one of my favourite cosy cream knitted jumpers and added a more preppy look to it by wearing a bleached shirt underneath. The shirt collar has given more structure to the neck area and I've emphasised this area with collar pins. Collar pins are a great way to dress up a plain coloured shirt and they can be removed effortlessly making them more versatile to outfits and  yet making clothes still easy to wash. Hurrah!  

( You may just want to be cautious before stabbing the pins in your favourite shirt as they may leave a tiny hole in the collar).

I bought my collar pins in the Topman sale for around £3 , ( originally £8), and they've been a source of conversation on a night out more than once. I've chosen to wear Navy chino's , which again add to more of a preppy and smarter element.

I finished the outfit with a trusty pair of brown boots , and a brown leather satchel bag from Ted baker. My Ted baker bag is sentimental to me as it was a combined birthday present from my friends, not that you needed to know but I thought I would share.   I've mentioned before but I believe brown accessories and shoes to be so versatile to a variety of looks so I often gravitate towards them.  :)

Outfit Menu

Cream knitted jumper - new look

Bleached buttoned shirt - river island

Navy chinos - New look 

Brown messenger bag - Ted baker

Collar pins - Top Man 

A closer look at the collar pins

Navy Chinos- New look

Brown Messenger bag - Ted baker

I hope you enjoy the post, The mint apple :)

Acqua di Gio : Fragrance review

I love the world of fragrance, I just can't get enough. Once one foot has entered a large store, then i'm off to find the fragrance section and I plan to be there for some time. I'm like a fragrance mad scientist dashing between scents looks for the perfect elixir. Fragrance and scents can be linked with memories, good and bad, and that's the beauty of them. Just a small whiff can remind you of places, family, friends or food even! Fragrance to me is another way to express yourself like fashion or makeup. I personally don't believe in male and female fragrances, that your gender should define what scents to wear. Sure there are scents more feminine or masculine and targeted to these genders but at the end of the day you wear whatever fragrance you feel comfortable in, whatever you want to express. Anyhoodle, rant over.  let's get into the review!

My first fragrance review is Acqua di gio by Giorgio Armani. The sleek frosted glass bottle is simple, with silver text displayed to the front and a silver cap on top. That's it,  simple. No fancy packaging, No coloured fluid or decorative plastic pieces thrown here and there. The frosted glass is very similar to what you would see on the Issey miyake fragrances. The simple packaging makes it great for travelling, as long as you don't drop it!

The fragrance notes consist of : 

Top - Jasmine, hespiradic notes, rosemary

Middle - Marine notes, persimmon fruits

Base- Patchouli, white musk, rock rose, cedar

The scent is fresh, clean and crisp. Ideal for everyday daytime wear and those summer days at the beach. I can imagine a gentleman ( or lady)  wearing this light scent on a hot summer day. There aren't any heavy wood notes in this so i could imagine a lot of ladies that might like to wear this scent. In my opinion there is something almost salty about it that just increases my imagination of skin that's been washed by the sea and then beaten on by the sun.

As soon as you spray it you get this fresh scent , a light citrus almost with the rosemary adding a further botanical, green , fresh aspect. I can also get a slight fruity note, adding a very soft sweetness but not sickly sweet. The sweetness is delicate unlike a heavy gourmand fragrance.

If you are looking for fragrance that projects and gets you noticed immediately when you enter a room then this isn't for you. The fragrance stays close to the skin which is a plus and negative as i often feel  that it wears off quickly. The projection on me lasts about an hour but it then continues to whisper on the skin between 4-6 hours before disappearing altogether. When you buy an expensive fragrance than you at least want it to last, right ? If you purchase the gift set then using the scented moisturizer before spraying the fragrance layers and locks the scent for longer. I am complemented by this fragrance but only when i'm in close contact with people  (I'm talking about hugging, be clean people). 

If you're a fan of light scents then definitely try this out. I would advise testing it out in the shops first before buying it and avoid blind buying a fragrance to prevent any disappointment. If you like Issey miyake , L'eau d'issey or Jo Malone lime basil and mandarin then I recommend giving this a sniff. It has to be said this is one of my favourite fragrances but i would like a scent with more projection.

Have you tried this ? What do you think ? I would love to hear your opinions or fragrance recommendations.

Themintapple :)