If you’re not going away this bank holiday, there’s no need to stay at home in a strop with your arms folded. There are plenty of fun things to do, either alone or with friends and family, on the bank holiday weekend. Here’s our pick of the bunch:

1. London’s famous Notting Hill Carnival takes place over the bank holiday weekend. Sunday is family day, so if you have kids, check it out then. There’s something for everyone, with food stalls, floats, processions and DJs to enjoy.

2. One of the UK’s greatest resources is its outdoor swimming pools and lidos. This might be the last weekend we have the weather to go for a swim outdoor, so why not check out what lidos are near you and go for a refreshing dip?

3. Assemble friends and family together for a bank holiday picnic. You could choose to congregate in a local park or drive to the coast for a beach day out. Take food, drink, blankets and games.

4. If there’s a UK city that you’ve always wanted to visit, why not hop on the train and go there? Check out its tourism website before you go to see what’s open over the bank holiday.

5. Put your feet up! There’s nothing wrong with a good relaxation session. Get out the face mask and pedicure kits, have a cuppa or two and browse through your favourite home shopping catalogues.

“How to pack a suitcase?” Well, yours truly has a favourite answer for that. Ask somebody to do it for you! Sadly, in the absence of any willing volunteers, most of us will probably have to pack our own suitcases this August. Some of us will have to pack suitcases for the whole family. What a lot of work!

You can make packing easy and efficient though with our handy guide (top tip – bunging it all in and hoping for the best will never, ever work…)

1. Make a list of everything you want to take, making sure that you’ve looked up what the weather is going to be like at your destination first.

2. Rolling your clothes, rather than folding them, can help to maximise space. You roll clothes by only partially folding them first to make them a bit more compact and then rolling them tightly from the bottom up.

3. Put heavy ladies clothes and shoes at the bottom of your suitcase and undies and socks inside your shoes.

4. Clothes that are delicate and can’t be rolled, like smart jackets, should go at the top of your suitcase.

5. Always pack a smart black dress. You never know when you’ll need it.

6. Toiletries should be as small as possible – you can buy mini bottles to decant your goodies into in most pharmacies. Put your toiletry back inside a plastic bag in case it leaks to protect your clothes.

7. If you can bear to wear your jeans travelling, rather than packing them, do, as they can be heavy to pack.

8. Pack a number of carrier bags to store your dirty clothes in during the holiday.

We’d all like to be slimmer, wouldn’t we – even if we don’t have much weight to lose! There’s no doubt that even just shifting a pound or two does wonders for the old confidence. And when you feel more confident, you look great in your favourite dresses and ladies fashion.

There’s no need to go on a drastic crash diet to be slimmer. In fact, crash diets are really bad for you. There are easy ways to lose a bit of weight that won’t ruin your health. Here are five of our favourite tips:

1.    Stop picking at the kids’ leftovers! This is something that mothers nearly always do. Eating what’s left on your kids’ plates without even thinking about it is an easy way to pick up an extra 200 calories a day. So stop!

2.    Swap coffee and tea for herbal drinks. Cutting out milk and sugar will save on calories. Plus, herbal drinks are better for you anyway.

3.    Have a goal in mind. A target is a great incentive to slim down. You might have a new dress that you want to slim into, or maybe a friend’s wedding to get trim for. Visualise yourself reaching that goal as often as possible.

4.    Exercise! This is fundamental to weight loss. If you can, buy a pedometer (available from most home shopping catalogues) and try to get at least 2000 extra steps in a day. If you can do it, making 10,000 steps a day for two months will help to shift pounds.

5.    Drink loads of water. Water helps to flush out the toxins and other rubbish that bloat us out. Aim for at least 1.5 litres a day.

We’ve only got one month left to enjoy the summer holidays. Eek! We at Kaleidoscope will be very sad to say goodbye to long days, sunshine and ice-cream.

However, let’s not get maudlin just set. August isn’t finished and there’s still time to enjoy a summer holiday. In fact, there’s still time to plan and book a summer holiday. And what better way to spend the last days of summer by booking a summer holiday in the UK?

So treat yourself to a summer dress or two, look through your home shopping catalogues for a shiny new suitcase and marvel at our pick of the UK’s summer holiday hotspots:

Brighton: beautiful, bohemian and generally wonderful. Head to the Lanes to browse through alternative shops and enjoy wholesome food at one of its many cafes – or enjoy fish and chips on the beach!

Blackpool: home to the UK’s most famous pier, you’ll be able to catch a fun family show or two whilst you’re there – maybe even one starring your favourite comedians from TV.

Cornwall: a must-visit and a wonderful place for a family holiday. There’s lots to enjoy for people of all ages though, including some very smart restaurants to sample such as TV chef Rick Stein’s collection of eateries.

What’s even better than an exercise plan? An exercise plan you can actually stick to!

We’ve all been there, haven’t we – starting an exercise plan with the best of intentions, only for it to fall flat on its face before the week has even ended.

The good news is that you can actually set yourself an exercise plan that you’ll be able to stick to. And that’s a wonderful thing. Exercise is so good for your mind, spirit and body that it’s really worth taking the time to devise a plan and sticking to it. Here’s how..

Love, not hate: this sounds obvious but the first and most important thing is to identify exercise that you will enjoy doing. Whether it’s walking part of the way to work every day or playing five a side with the girls from work, do something that you love! This is the only way you’ll want to do it again and again.

Make it easy: joining the gym is all well and good but not if the gym is a half hour drive from your house. Choose a type of exercise that is easy for you to access. Trust us, when your motivation is low, a long journey will only put you off even more.

Gym kit: you’ll feel motivated to exercise if you treat yourself to an outfit or three to work out in. Peruse your home shopping catalogue for the latest in ladies fitness fashion.

Dear diary: make appointments to exercise in your diary and make sure you stick to them. Exercise should be and indeed can be scheduled in like all of your other activities.

Three times a week: that’s the optimum when it comes to exercise, although of course if you can exercise more, then do! Experts recommend that each session lasts for 40 minutes and includes cardio and toning work.

Phone a friend: and ask them to exercise with you. Many people find that the motivation and company of others helps to spur them on in their pursuit of fitness.

We’ve got one bank holiday left until Christmas (argh!) so we here at Kaleidoscope say – let’s make the most of it!

The August bank holiday provides a perfect opportunity to spend some quality time en famille before the kids go back to school, if you’re a mum, and a perfect opportunity to enjoy a day off work without cutting into your annual leave. What’s not to like?

The key to a successful bank holiday break is planning, planning and planning. With just over three weeks to go, here are our top tips for planning a brilliant bank holiday break.

Put all of your medicines and sun creams into plastic bags so that you can see what you’ve got. Once they’re in their bags, they’re ready to be packed.

If you’re going away for a few days rather than a week, be strict with everybody’s packing. You can all take your favourite ladies fashion items, but not too many of them!

Double check that everybody’s passports and driving licences are valid. You don’t want any nasty surprises at the airport or car hire place.

If you’re staying in a hotel, check ahead to see what activities and facilities they have. Ask whether there are any day trips they would recommend and if they give any discounts for them.

It’s important to make sure that you’ve packed your hand luggage according to the strict guidelines that are in place these days. You don’t want to be caught at the airport having to take items out of your bag and throw them in the bin. This is especially important if you want to take your main case on as hand luggage.

Firstly, make sure that your case fits the size regulations for hand luggage. Check on your airline carrier’s website for guidance – most websites have a useful diagram with dimensions so you can measure your suitcase before you pack it. Generally if you are travelling from the UK you are restricted to one piece of hand baggage per person with maximum dimensions of 55 cm x 40 cm x 20cm and up to 5kgs.

There are certain items which cannot go in hand luggage, such as flammable liquids. Again, check your airline carrier’s website for details.

Don’t make it too heavy – you’ll have to take it around the airport with you, remember. Take a small selection of your favourite ladies fashion rather than overburdening yourself.

If you’re taking liquids, put them in individual containers with a maximum capacity of 100ml each. You must pack these containers in one closed transparent, re-sealable plastic bag of not more than 20×20x20cm or 8″ x 8″ or one litre capacity. Liquids include lipsticks, body cream, baby food, medicine, hair gel, aerosols and toothpaste.

If you’ve just booked your first cruise, then you’re probably as nervous as you are excited. For people who’ve never been on a cruise before, they can seem quite mysterious. How do you know what to do and what dresses to wear? Well, simply follow our guide to seafaring success!

Sailing snobs?

Cruises have a reputation for being quite exclusive. Really, these days, everybody is welcome aboard, and cruises are for everyone, so there’s nothing to worry about and everything to enjoy.

What to wear?

There’s a range of activities on your average cruise ship, so you need to be covered for every eventuality. If you’re organised, then take a capsule wardrobe, including a black dress for dinner, something sensible to walk around in (for when you stop off at various places) and a smart casual mix for the rest of your holiday. If you’re like us (not organised) take as much ladies fashion as possible in the biggest suitcase you have. Let’s face it, it’s not as if you have to lug your suitcase around the ship with you!

What to do?

When it comes to cruise activities, the world’s your oyster. Swimming pools, casinos, shows, mini golf – it’s all there! We recommend checking your cruise’s website before you go and making a list of your favourite activities available. That way, you won’t miss out on any of it.

Who wouldn’t like to drop a dress size? Here at Kaleidoscope we’d love to go down a size so that we can treat ourselves to some slimline women’s fashion. Here’s our guide to help you drop a dress size in five… that’s five ways, not five minutes! Always remember – crash dieting is unhealthy and ineffective.

1)    Exercise at home: you don’t need to pay loads of money to join the gym but you do need to exercise. Exercising at home is simple, free and easy to incorporate into your life. You don’t even need to buy any special equipment. For example, when you do bicep or tricep curls to firm up your arms, you don’t need specialist weights – you can simply lift your home shopping catalogues instead! Also try leg lifts and stomach whilst watching your favourite soaps – well, you might as well use the time productively.

2)    More protein: protein is essential for muscle health and growth and works better in a low fat diet than carbohydrates to. That’s not to say you should cut carbs – you shouldn’t – but whilst you’re losing weight do favour protein over carbs. So, instead of a toasted sandwich at lunch, have a chicken salad.

3)    Water, water everywhere: you must drink two litres of water every day. Water cleanses the system and helps the body to process what it ingests. This is vital. No water – no weight loss.

4)    2000 steps: on top of your home exercising, walk an extra 2000 steps a day. This is easy enough to do – get off the bus or train a stop early and walk and leave the car at home whenever you can. According to research, these daily extra 2000 steps can help you to lose weight.

5)    Leave the leftovers: do not clear the leftovers from your partner’s or kids’ plates, however tempting this is. We all do it without thinking and ingest around an extra 300 calories as a result. The only food you should eat is your own!

Italy is a beautiful country with so much to offer – food, weather and beautiful ladies fashion. Go to the country and you’ll marvel at the scenery, the atmosphere and the beautifully dressed people on their scooters! Here is our pick of Italian holiday spots to try. Bellisima!

Venice: number one for romance. Take a ride in a gondola and walk hand in hand around this beautiful city.

Rome: full of culture, history and amazing shops selling first-class ladies fashion (and men’s fashion!). Take a tour of the world-famous Coliseum to learn all about life as a Roman gladiator before throwing your coins in the Trevi fountain to make a wish.

Rimini: a glamorous holiday destination that’s great for families as well as couples. Together with its nearby city Riccione, Rimini is the most famous beach resort in the country.

Florence: capital of the Tuscany region, made famous by the many English people who’ve emigrated and made their lives there. If you like art and culture then Florence is a must-visit. Works by the likes of da Vinci and Michelangelo populate the city’s many museums and galleries.