Excited to announce that Toni Carver of TLC Style & Colour will be attending the Ladies Shopping evening on Thursday 31st October at The Funk It Up HQ in Leeds.
Come along and hear how to wear the new seasons trends and colours.
Open from 7pm until 9pm.
Feel free to pop down on your own or with friends. All are welcome!
Parking is available on the main road – 288 Harrogate Road, LS17 6LE
Join Toni Carver and Julie Woodward on how to look after yourself on the inside and feel good on the outside.
Toni is from TLC Style & Colour and a Colour Me Beautiful trained and accredited Image consultant and personal stylist. Hear how you can gain colour and style confidence in what you wear.
Julie from Essentially Aloe is a Forever Living distributer. Hear about the benefits of aloe to your health and well-being.
Tickets are £5 and includes a glass of fizz on arrival.
The event will be held at the Horbury community centre. It starts at 7:30pm and finishes at 9:30pm.
Tickets are limited.
Contact Toni on 07958 657032 or Julie on 07808 163337.
I’ve lost track of how many times people say that black is slimming. Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn’t, but the question really should be; is it the most flattering? For most people, probably not.
Now you’re probably thinking that I would say that given I’m all about the colour, but stay with me for a minute and, if you want to revisit last month’s blog about dressing in black, click here.
Dressing in one colour or similar shades of colour from top to toe is in fact far more slimming than wearing black. When you wear one column of colour, it helps balance out any imperfections and elongates the frame. This creates a leaner silhouette.
One of the best public figure examples is The Queen – always top to toe in the same colour.
We rarely see her in black except for state occasions and funerals of course so if it’s fit for The Queen, why not give it a go?
What’s stopping you from doing a column of red or blue? Or, how about green or even yellow? If you find yourself missing black or simply can’t tear yourself away just yet, then edge away gently. Give navy, charcoal or even brown a go as these all make great alternatives to black.
Don’t think it needs to be a dress either. It could be a jumpsuit or a trouser suit too. These make the perfect choice for a more formal occasion especially if you don’t ‘do’ dresses.
What I like about suits is that each piece can be worn separately which helps you create different outfits within your wardrobe. If you’re struggling to create outfits or have a wardrobe full of clothes you’re not wearing, why not give my 30 day challenge a whirl? I tried it a few months ago which you can read about here.
Try a jacket with jeans for example, or the trousers worn more casually with a jumper. This increases your £s per wear too! If you’re struggling to declutter your wardrobe, then download my free guide here which contains five tips.
Another option if you’re not into suits is to try wearing the same shade in a top and bottom and then add a different coloured jacket, coat or even scarf.
Some people struggle with wearing too much contrast (think light and dark colours worn together) as they can overpower their features and so it’s best to opt for a more tonal and blended look.
Whilst not necessarily slimming, it’s worth noting a trick to appear taller. You can elongate the appearance of your legs simply by wearing the same colour shoes and trousers. This gives a continuous unbroken line from top to toe and visibly creates an instant leg length. If you’re choosing cropped trousers or a skirt or dress, wear shoes that are closest to your skin tone. A pointed shoe will add extra length to your frame too.
If you do go top to toe in one colour then you can afford to keep your accessories and prints to a minimum. Less is more after all. This may be of benefit to those with a natural style personality.
This year, we are delighted to be supporting Macmillan Cancer Support by taking part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning!
Date: Friday 27th September 2019
Time: 10am to 1pm
Place: TLC Style & Colour Studio HQ
Confirm your place:
Email: toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk
Call or text: 07958 657032.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2328317017485184/
Don’t worry if you can’t make it as you can still donate by texting: YUM UTH5 to 70550. Texts costs £5 plus your standard network rate and Macmillan receive 100% of your donation.
Bake it, Fake it and Eat it!
We’d love your support so come along and help us raise funds for such a worthy cause of Macmillan Cancer. One in two of us will face cancer, and the money you help us raise will help us make sure no one has to face cancer alone.
By buying a cuppa, a slice of cake, having a good natter, taking part in the prize draws and more, we can raise funds. We’d welcome if you’d like to bring your own baked or bought cake to donate to help raise funds for a great cause too.
A Raffle will take place. The prizes so far are:
Games
10 minute mini colour and makeup assessments are available for a suggested donation of £10
10% of all sales on the day will go to the charity.
Plus, I’ll have some special discounts and bundles available on the day too.
Book your place!
Have you heard of Micellar water?
Is it really a miracle cleanser??
If you’re not sure if it’s right for you, take 5 minutes to watch this video. It was first aired on Facebook and provides you with details of the Rose Micellar water and how you can use it.
Take a look around your office or workspace. Are you or your colleagues dressed in black, grey or navy?
It’s very common in the workplace. When I worked in the corporate world, there was one particular team photo shoot where I wore a pink dress! I wasn’t meaning to stand out from my colleagues, but I did because of the colour. Importantly though, the dress fitted my shape, complimented my colouring and, more importantly, I felt confident.
Many people consider black to be a neutral shade. It’s worn a lot by both men and women. It’s seen as ‘safe’ and an easy option. I hear it goes with every colour. And it’s slimming.
But, did you know that black is only a neutral colour for some people?In fact, under the tonal analysis system (used by Colour me Beautiful consultants), only those who fall into three of our dominant colouring types of Deep, Cool and Clear actually truly suit this colour.
For everyone else, other neutral colours work far better. In fact, there are some excellent alternatives to black which I would recommend. Plus you’ll look sooo much better!
Whilst you may think that black is slimming, this is only true if it is worn in the right style for you, the right fit and in the right fabric for your shape.
Black might be safe, but it is rather boring. Worse, you could even be merging into the background. Have you been passed up for a promotion? Feel that you’re not recognised for your skills or taken as seriously as you would like? Colour really does have a big impact, whether you’re fully aware of the impact or not. Adding some colour could be a simple and easy way to get recognised, add to your confidence and widen your workwear wardrobe.
If you’d like to discover alternative colours which you can wear both in and out of the office, get in touch to book your own colour analysis consultation.
You’ll get your own colour swatch wallet to guide you when shopping too. See you soon!
If you’re a tennis fan then you’ll have been glued to the TV this week and checking social media for the scores at Wimbledon 2019.
But, ever wondered why the players only dress in white?
Well, there’s an official dress code which you can visit on the Wimbledon 2019 website here. It’s rather strict and provides lots of rules, but in a nutshell, it states that players can only wear white. Not off white either, or cream. Just white.
That goes for their shoes too, including soles, all clothes and any accessories.
My research also shows that this dates back to the Victorian era as it was believed that the reason they wear white is that it showed less sweat. Despite times changing, the rules have certainly not relaxed and there are no signs of changing it either.
Flouting the rules comes at a cost too. It’s all white or no court action. Very strict.
If you’re not planning on heading to the Wimbledon courts, wearing white is a little more flexible thankfully.
You see, pure white doesn’t suit that many people. It’s notoriously a difficult colour to wear for most of us as it’s so pale that the majority of us just look totally washed out. The only people that should wear pure white are the Cool’s and Clear’s amongst us.
A nice off-white shade is much better for the majority of people. A much softer shade as it creates better harmony with our own physical characteristics so you’ll look healthier with a better looking skin tone.
Everyone can wear colour, it’s just finding the right shades of colour which bring out the best in you.
If you want to learn what colouring type you are and the shades which suit your characteristics the best, get in touch to book a colour analysis consultation.
Recently, I’ve been asking for feedback about your biggest concerns or challenges when it comes to dressing.
Here are the top 3 concerns raised:
I thought I’d look at each area of concern and offer a few tips.
Colour coordination came up a few times and specifically matching tops, bottoms or outfits together when dressing. I shouldn’t be surprised as colour consultations are by far my most popular service.
Wearing colour is also the simplest way to update your look. We can all get fed up wearing the same thing, day in, day out so perhaps it’s just a pop of colour you need? Try a scarf to switch up your look. Or how about a colourful necklace or a pair of earrings? A new pair of shoes or bag could work too.
It’s worth noting that everyone can wear colour, it’s simply finding the right shade for you. How do you know if it’s the right colour? Simply hold the garment up under your chin in a well lit room. It should lighten and brighten your features but, if you see any dark shadows against your face, or the colour stands out more than you, it’s not the right shade.
Dressing all in one colour will give the appearance of height too, so if you’re on the petite side, this is a good tip to follow. If you’re on the taller side, try colour blocking; where a different top to bottoms, shoes or jackets.
If you’ve got dramatic or stand out features, then a contrast will work well for you. Wear a light and dark colour together. If you’ve got less stand out features, try a more blended look by choosing a colour and wearing shades which are one or two shades lighter or darker than each other.
During a colour consultation, I’ll go into more detail. Specifically looking at the colour of your hair, eyes and your skin tone in order to determine a palette of colours which work for you. Colour me Beautiful consultants like myself work from a tonal analysis system now rather than a seasonal approach. You’ll get to take away your own personal fabric swatch wallet with 42 shades which compliment you the best based upon your physical colouring. For more details, visit my colour analysis consultation page.
How do you shop for clothes which don’t break the bank?
There’s a strong movement in favour of recycling clothes. Think swish and swap parties, charity shops, re-loved sites and Ebay. Opportunities to buy nearly new or used but in excellent condition mean that you can buy new clothes at a fraction of their once higher price.
Another option is to shop wisely. If you have multiple items in the same style and colour, do you really need to buy another? Think about and go and have a look at what you’ve got and what you wear. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll have seen my 30 day challenge in April and I would highly recommend that you give this a go. It might also help if you feel like you’re in a bit of a style rut and bored of what you wear.
If you can wear garments with at least three other items in your wardrobe, then this really will transform it. The ability to wear an item multiple times which coordinates with other pieces means you are more likely to get your money’s worth as well as wear it. This all comes down to my £s per wear mantra. Spend £50 on an item you wear once and it’s £50 per wear, but spend £50 on an item you wear five times and it’s £10 per wear.
Don’t despair if you’ve got things that you barely wear or don’t go with anything. Think about what you could wear it with – what item don’t you have that will transform it into an outfit? I’ve found time and time again that once you nail this, your clothes will combine much more easily together.
A slight tangent, but worthy of thought. Does your wardrobe match your lifestyle? If the clothes in your wardrobe don’t match how you actually spend your time, then you’ve got clothes you probably won’t wear. Or, you’re missing key items to work for your lifestyle. I found this myself. When I left the corporate world, I had lots of suits, shirts, tailored dresses which just didn’t work for my colour, style and image business.
I was surprised to hear so many people talking so negatively about themselves. We are such harsh critics on ourselves. Concerns raised mainly surrounding people’s weight and how fat they say they felt or clothes not fitting. Even buying things which were just “fine” or “ok” – you deserve better than that!!
First things first – size doesn’t matter, but shape does. Diet and exercise can go a long way to making yourself feel as well as look good, but dressing for your body line is crucial as your skeleton and bone structure won’t change no matter how much weight you’ve put on or lost.
Think of a curvy vase. Have you ever tried wrapping a vase with thick wrapping paper? Not only does it look bad, but have you noticed that it alters the appearance? The curvy lines have been swamped with all that heavy paper, masking it’s shape but also making it look bigger. Fabric is the same. If you’ve got curves, choose fabric that drapes those curves as choosing heavy fabric which doesn’t compliment the curves means that you’ll look two sizes bigger than what you really are.
I often see people that want to hide their shape as they feel conscious. Again fabric is key here as just because you buy something bigger to avoid hugging those curves, it’s still too big making you look bigger than you actually are.
You don’t have to be a slave to fashion, I know I’m not but it’s also easier to keep your look current too. Glossy magazines and online sites are packed with image inspiration and tips on what is going to be ‘on trend’. Focus on the trends that appeal to you and then decide how you are going to incorporate them into your look in a way that is still ‘you’. You’ll feel better being you than trying to be someone else.
Buy what you love! If you put something on that you feel truly fabulous in, then go ahead and purchase it. When you wear something you feel amazing in you will exude confidence and this will guarantee you look amazing too!
If you need a little help decluttering your wardrobe, why not download my free guide which includes five steps to follow. Download it here.
Want to know the makeup shades which are most suited to your colouring?
In the last of my series of taster workshops, I’ll prescribe and recommend the shades of cosmetics which you can try out during the session and which is most suited to your skin tone.
All cosmetics are cruelty free, lead free and paraben free. Some of the range is vegan friendly too.
Learn how to personalise your own magnetic, refillable compact with shades for your eyes, cheeks and lips.
You’ll take away a list of what you can wear shades and your own magnetic mirrored compact worth £9.95.
Book your place now! Email Toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk to reserve your place or contact me.
28 September 2019
10am – 12pm
Cedar Court, Wakefield
£20 per person
In this second of three workshops, I’ll look at shape, personality and style.
During this taster session, you’ll learn about your ‘style personality’ and how this influences the way you shop and combine outfits together. We’ll also look at dressing for your body shape, as size doesn’t matter, but shape does!
You’ll take away handouts with tips for dressing your shape and personality and a seasonal style update card which includes details on the new trends and the six spring/summer shades for your colouring which you’ll have learnt from the first workshop held on 15 June.
Book your place now! Email Toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk to reserve your place or contact me.
13 July 2019
10am – 12pm
Cedar Court, Wakefield
£20 per person
Let me introduce you to the world of Colour me Beautiful! I’ll explain how we assess your colouring in the first of three workshops.
During this taster session, you’ll learn which of our six main colour types you fall into based upon an assessment of your characteristics. Everyone can wear colour, it’s simply about finding the right shade of colour which compliments you the best.
You’ll take away your own colour card handout which includes eight of the shades from your palette allowing you to get started straight away on your new colourful journey.
Book your place now! Email Toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk to reserve your place or contact me.
15 June 2019
10am – 12pm
Cedar Court, Wakefield
£20 per person
Save this date in your diary! I will be working at Debenhams in York for their Spring/Summer fashion show, as part of York Fashion Week.
I’ll be working with another Colour me Beautiful Consultant and we’ll be talking about colour and style confidence before the fashion show.
We’ll also be doing colour demos and be on hand afterwards to chat to after the fashion show from 7pm.
Tickets are available from Debenhams York priced at £5 and include a glass of fizz.
Come and join us and be sure to tell your friends!
Visit: https://www.yorkfashionweek.co.uk/project/deborah-hirzel-presents-style-confidence
Contact me for more information!
What we wear sends out a message to people we meet. Consciously or otherwise, we make a visual statement about how we feel in what we wear.
I recently took to Facebook to ask my friends their opinion. Which shoes did they think I should go with for an event I had the following day. I posted two pictures with my outfit laid out including necklace and a pair of shoes.
The dress was new and bought from Marks & Spencer. Both pairs of shoes I already had and had shopped from my existing wardrobe. (I do believe that you can combine outfits together from your existing wardrobe without having to buy everything new. If you want to learn more about this, get in touch to book a session).
1 – 10 votes
2 – 13 votes
I already had a good idea about which shoes I thought I would wear before the votes came in but I was curious to see what people thought.
Are you wondering why? It’s not because I don’t like the other shoes because in actual fact, they are one of my favourites. They are a pair that I have had for many years, been resoled and heeled and the £s per wear I’ve had must be almost pennies now. Getting your wear out of things is a must when buying certain items of clothing.
Instead, it was about the overall image I wanted to project and, make an impression wearing them. I guess it’s linked to confidence too and how I felt wearing them. I felt I needed an edge and these shoes gave me the edge I wanted. How many times do you choose something to wear because you’re happy or confident? This is a must I would say!
The comments I got from my friends and the votes made me reflect about how much our own personality impact on our view about what others wear. I’ve said it many times – image matters, whether we like it or not. How many times have you seen someone on TV or on social media and passed comment about what they are wearing? We all do it – good and bad.
There was also a distinct difference in styling and personality in each shoe. One pair was quite edgy and bold. The other a more classic pair. Also, from the pictures, it can be hard to judge can’t it? There were a few who saw black and red for shoes number one for example when in actual fact they were purple and red. Were people saying what they thought I would look good in, or were they actually saying what they thought they would wear themselves? I suspect there was an element of both.
In my personal and professional view, both shoes worked. If a client had posed the same question to me and asked for my opinion, I’d have asked them to think about where they were going, what impression they wanted to create and, how comfortable were they to wear. I think there’s nothing worse than being in a pair of shoes which are killing your feet!
Did I get any comments about my shoes at the event? Interestingly, no. But I did about the dress – the colour looked great on me I was told 😉.
This backs up why the colour clothes we wear have such an impact. It’s usually the first thing people see and it’s actually the easiest way to update your look too. Arguably, you can dress as a different personality and many people do – they have to dress a certain way for work and when out of work, they are the opposite. However, it’s your personality which dictates how you actually combine your outfits together, or not for some of you!
Either way, I would always recommend that you dress for your body shape and wear the shades of colour which suit your colouring the best near to your face as you can see I have.
Delighted to be involved in this event organised by Emma Kirke on Sunday 20 January at 9am until 3.30pm..
We are hosting a FREE day of empowerment for you to learn to love yourself and to have the confidence to be yourself and know your own worth.
This will consist of short talks from fierce females bossing their area of expertise.
Emma Kirke – nutrition & exercise
Gayle Griffin – make up confidence
Toni Carver – clothes/style/colour
Teresa Wrigglesworth – hypno confidence
Break
Sam – Potting shed CEO
Zoe Scaife – Pilates – posture confidence
Julia Lee – life coach and empowering godess
12.30 – 1.30 lunch
Then demos & workshops or one to one chats.
Finishing at 3.30pm
Coffee and drinks will be available but please bring your own lunch.
RCM Business Centre – Sandbeds Trading Estate, Dewsbury Road, Ossett WF5 9ND
2019 is nearly here!
Pantone, like every year have announced what their colour of the year is for 2019.
In 2018 it was ultra violet. It was one of my faves as I love purple and find it such a versatile colour to wear. There are lots of different shades of purple out there too meaning there’s a shade out there for everyone.
When the Pantone Color Institute make their annual announcements, designers around the globe take note and we see trends emerge in the shops. It’s not always restricted to clothing or fashion, but household appliances too have been known to follow the trend!
Living Coral!
Pantone say it’s “an animating and life affirming Coral hue with a golden undertone that energises and enlivens with a softer edge. Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Symbolising our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, Living a Coral embodies our desire for playful expression”.
We wear colour as a way of expressing ourselves – in our clothes and makeup. Wearing colour makes you feel good, look good (when wearing the right shade) and also boosts our confidence.
If you’ve been for a colour consultation and had your colours done in the past, then choose to wear the most flattering orange shades from your palette – use your colour swatch wallet to guide you.
Should you fall into our Warm category and warmer versions of the Light or Clear colouring types, you’ll be delighted!
Unfortunately, Coral won’t be in your palette for the rest of you, but if you do want to be ‘on trend’, then how about a new kitchen appliance?!
Here’s my recommendations from our cruelty free, paraben free cosmetic range available in the studio or via my online shop.
Peach – available as a single eyeshadow pot or as a refillable for our magnetic compact. Suitable for everyone except Cools – go for your pinky shades such ballerina pink, cotton candy, champagne or opal.
The obvious choice is our Coral Lipstick suitable for you Lights, Warms and Clears.
If you’re a Deep, why not try the Sheer rum or Sheer nutmeg lipstick as an alternative?
For you Cools, give Strawberry lipstick a try and for you Softs, Spiced Peach or Sheer breeze would be ideal.
Our Mango Lip Gloss is the perfect shade to co-ordinate with this ‘on-trend’ colour too which is great for you Lights, Deeps, Warms and Clears. If you’re a soft try Warm Sand lipgloss and for you Cools, it’s back to the pinks and avoid the trend all together I’m afraid as it’s just not for you!
Red is the colour most often seen at this festive time of year. The good news is that there is a shade to suit everyone!
Here are some options for you to try.
Check out the back detail on this Reiss dress – this will no doubt appeal to those of you who have Romantic style personalities and the Geranium shade will work for those of you who fall into our Soft and Light colour categories.
Why not complete your look with our Red Velvet or even Strawberry lipstick? Visit here to order online.
If you like to make a statement, why not do so in this Karen Millen sparkling number. You won’t need much accessorising as it is so stunning, so I’m sure it will appeal to those Dramatics out there.
If you fall into our Deep or Clear colour categories then this bold choice will work beautifully for you.
Why not complete your look with our Tomato or Ruby Lipstick? Buy it here.
Those of you with Cool colouring should be careful when it comes to wearing red and to avoid any with a yellow undertone which would make it warm. A Blue Red or purple/blue based shade, like this dress from Hobbs, will work best for you.
It’s a timeless and understated style which will appeal to those of you who have a Classic style personality – simply add your own accessories for a chic evening look.
Why not wear our Red Carpet or Sheer Fiesta Lipstick to finish off your look? Shop for it here.
If you fall into our Warm dominant colour category, most shades of red will work of you but remember to avoid the blue-reds.
Why not try this Reiss jumpsuit – it’s the ultimate in easy evening dressing so simple and so chic.
Those of you with Natural style personalities will love this simple look and you can also easily wear flats with it too.
Why not complete your look with Red Velvet or Tomato? Buy it here.
If you want to learn the season’s key trends, update your wardrobe, go shopping or learn what suits you then why not make an appointment for next year?
A few weeks ago, I held The Style Edit. It was great to see some new faces and some familiar ones too.
I know that some of you couldn’t make it but I thought I’d share some of the shopping purchases I showcased here.
The jumpsuit was an amazing shade of green, very bold to suit you deeps and clears. It does however come in other colours online. Greens are a very popular colour this season.
Also popular with two trends in one was the teal velvet top. It had a subtle animal print detail for a more relaxed look. Despite also being called teal, it was a much lighter shade than the jumpsuit and so would suit the softs and lights particularly well.
Continuing the animal print trend was this purple top. It was more like a lilac or periwinkle and a great shade for you softs. I loved the animal print scarf which came with it.
The ochre V neck jumper was thin, making layering a breeze and came in a vast array of shades. There’s certainly a shade to suit everyone if you like the style!
I am quite a fan of M&S latest must haves (have you seen those teal embellished stripe dresses trousers??). Perhaps it coincides with Holly joining.. I found a vast range of trousers, but these checked ones seemed to hit the heritage trend the best.
I found this bold striped top perhaps suiting those wanting a little more drama. I’ve now found it in the sale at Debenhams online.
This animal print dress epitomised the whole animal print trend this season. The colour was great for all you warms with amazing detailing and good fabric for the majority of body shapes. Also now found in the sale so if this is your thing, grab it now!
Incidentally, I found a great relaxed pair of trousers in the sale. Think athletic style, or more sporty look (stripes down the sides). They feel so comfy too rather than the straight tailored look and worth checking out as most shops seem to have a pair.
Seem to have upped their game in the colour charts as both these tops came in a range of colours. The pink blouse would be lovely for you cools and clears. The burgundy tshirt would be great for deeps and softs and could be layered with a vest as the material rather see through for most.
The colder months are beginning to set in. So, if you’re on the look out for a new coat this season, then read on.
Here are three essential styles that will see you through any occasion.
This the coat for all-weathers!
It might not be the most stylish coat you’ll own but it will be warm and cosy and suitable for school runs or walking the dog!
Check out this Mango Quilted Coat, £139.99.
This season, statement sleeves and interesting cuffs feature heavily.
An elegant alternative to a jacket is a cape – it offers a little warmth for more formal occasions but without ruining the overall look of your outfit.
Try out this Coast Hendy Cape at John Lewis, £99
If you’re looking for a smart/casual coat which can elevate an everyday look, try choosing a more formal coat in a stand-out colour from your palette to really make you feel fabulous!
How about this New Look Bright Orange Single Breasted Formal Coat, £34.99
If you need any assistance, get in touch. I offer colour analysis consultations, style analysis sessions and personal shopping trips.
Slightly nervous but excited to be featuring on Emma Kirke’s Sunday night show from 6pm talking all things colour, style and image.
Tune in to listen to the show on rhubarb radio via the free app, website or smart home device!
www.rhubarbradio.co.uk
Want to learn key trends for the season? I am co hosting an event with Sonia Wilson of Stella & Dot.
Come along to this open house event for free colour and style tips to take you into the winter months.
An easy way to update your wardrobe is with accessories so Sonia will be showcasing her amazing Stella & Dot jewellery.
Complete your look with the perfect lipstick shade and try out one of my new shades. You can even try out the new skincare range which is proving to be very popular!
Book your place at this special Style Edit on Friday 9th November from 7pm. Glass of fizz on arrival 🍾
Email toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk
December is here which means party season!
I don’t know about you but it’s pretty hectic and going fast too. Not only is Christmas getting closer, but I’m sure many of you have parties to attend.
I had my first Christmas party a couple of weeks ago and decided that I’d buy a new dress for the occasion when I was heading out to the shops a few weeks ago.
I’m always surprised and a little disappointed by the amount of black dresses on the rails at this time of year and it did make me a little bit sad too. What there is this year is lots of sparkles, sequins, lace and velvet so more of what you expect for a party!
Black doesn’t actually suit everyone (sorry ladies!) so if you’re looking for a new outfit then try something with colour! Admittedly it may take a little more effort to find, but it’s definitely worth it!
Here’s my tips for our colour types:
Try wearing silver, blue, teal or violet colours.
Try midnight blue, damson, navy or aubergine.
Try out Bronze, olive or gold.
Try midnight, fuchsia, purple, charcoal or silver.
Try wearing royal blue, scarlet or purple.
Try out pewter, charcoal or navy.
If you really can’t face wearing colour, or you’re struggling then try something in a softer looking fabric such as lace.
Head on over to my Facebook page to view a quick video on ‘feel good dresses for the party season’ which includes some shopping ideas. Please like and share whilst you’re there.
Wondering what colour I wore? Plum!
Happy shopping and partying and if you need any help, just get in touch.
It struck me this week that the weather is turning! Gale force winds, odd coloured skies and a red sun – we’ve had it all this week. It must be approaching the time of year to reach for your ‘big coat’.
‘Big coat’ time is when the darker nights are drawing in, the clocks change and we want to wrap up warm.
I’m sure many of you own more than one winter coat; I know I do. But, are they fit for purpose? Do they still fit in a colour and style which suits you?
It can be tempting to go out and buy a new coat but first check your wardrobe to see what you’ve got to avoid buying another of the same. Ask yourself the questions above and if you answer no, then it could be time to get rid – sell it, donate it, or bin it.
There’s lots of coats out there so I’ve broken them down into just three categories below to help you shop.
It sounds boring, but this coat is for every day and every weather hence the label I give it. Think ‘duvet coats’ which can be great for walks, commuting to and from the office or donning for the school run. Make sure yours is in a colour which suits and compliments you, especially if it’s worn near to your face. Try either a neutral colour which can be accessorised with a colourful scarf or choose one of your many colours from your palette.
There may be times when you want to wear something a little smarter. Perhaps it’s shopping and lunch with friends – you’ll want to wear something which can keep you warm but not hot if running round the shops. Plus it needs to double as being smart enough for eating out.
A cocoon style coat is more versatile and can keep you warm. Less bulky and often available in a choice of colours.
Trench coats are a good option too and a staple item which remain popular this season. As they tend to come in lighter weight fabrics, they offer you greater ways to layer up whilst remaining stylish.
Heading out for dinner or drinks often requires a different coat. If you’ve dressed up for the occasion, you might not want the practicality of your duvet coat hiding your outfit! Try something smarter or dressier. A faux fur coat or one with a faux fur collar can add that extra wow factor.
Velvet is also a very popular trend this winter as are coats with jewelled, embellished or embroidered detailing.
I hope these help you shop for your next coat with more confidence, but if you need any help simply get in touch.
