Choosing the right colour clothes

What are your power colours i.e. the colours that best compliment your skin tone and make you stand out? If one of your new year resolutions was to change the way you dress then choosing the right colour clothes is right up there with choosing the right style of clothes for your bodyshape.  

How to find the best colours for your skin tone

Beauty they say is in the eye of the beholder and so true when it comes to determining your "power colours" as  Natalie from Elan Image Management puts it.  Because other than a image consultant it is your friends, family and strangers even who will compliment your choice of colours.  That said when you do find the perfect colours for your skin tone it does not mean that it is the only colour for your wardrobe.  Remember that each colour has several different hues so while one shade may not do you justice certainly another shade may be just right.  Winter is a great time to experiment with finding your perfect skin tone colour as you can invest in several neck scarves in varying colours and see which brightens your face the best.  

Click on play below and start choosing the colours that flatters you best.

Now that the feeding frenzy at the sales are over and your credit card is exhausted, I hope you're not regretting some impulsive shopping buys especially after watching this colour demo? But don't worry if you are.  Grabbing clothes off the sale rack because they are cheap is not unusual - it's the best adrenalin rush ever especially for us ladies!!!! Even if your finding that some of your star buys are a bit dull for you or washes you out completely, you can always jazz it up with a vibrant handmade scarf and other fashion accessories.

Handmade jewellery for a unique look

At a dinner function last night I had the worst scare. There was another guest wearing the same dress as me.  What a nightmare?  You know how you usually see female celebrities featured side by side in the same outfit with the caption "Who looks better?"  So there I was playing the same game in my head while trying not to rudely stare.  

I guess it was my fault for wearing my classic black wrap dress, long sleeved made from a bamboo blend.  Hers well I didn't get close enough to tell what material hers was made of.  So in a competition like this what does it come down to?  Body shape for one but then a well made and cut wrap dress can compliment just about any body shape.  So it was down to fashion accessories.  Luckily I opted for my handmade jewellery.  I explored my wild side and wore my ethnic and tribal understated animal print jewellery set in copper, an inch wide leopard print belt with gold buckle and my tiger print pumps. 

My worthy competitor I have to admit also looked quite elegant in a white pearl necklace.  So who won?  Both looks I felt were carried off well though I made sure not to stand shoulder to shoulder with her and have people speculate.  Amazing how jewellery especially handmade jewellery can set you apart from others even if you are wearing the same dress.

What is a snood?

I was admiring my friend's snood yesterday and said to her "great snood Jackie".  In reply I only got a quizzical look as she had no idea what I was talking about.   While Jackie is no fashionista in terms of knowing all the fashion buzz terms she sure understands how to accessorize and wrap up warm in the winter.  Those hours spent rummaging through fashion magazines looking at those well put together fashion shoots is certainly paying off for her.  

 So if you are not familiar with the term "snood", it is the all in one circular scarf that can go around your neck once or twice depending on its width. The snood or what my 5 year old daughter refers to as a circle scarf is a definite winter must have to be added to your winter shopping list.  It's the perfect winter accessory for those cold winter days when you are out and about and a definite must have when watching your son play football or rugby in the freezing cold.  I must say it has a very theatrical look and can provide instant glamour to an outfit - a very movie star look indeed. 

How to wear a snood

The snood is indeed a type of scarf and is often referred to as a snood scarf.  Because of its all in one circle shape it can be worn doubled around the neck depending on its circumference and it can be worn as a hood that cascades down around the neck area as shown above.  Worn this way it resembles the silvery hooded garment worn by knights in the olden days.  Who says fashion does not reinvent itself?

Picture from http://www.medievalweaponinfo.com/

La Redoute winter sale

Thought you would like to share in the amazing sale now on at La Redoute.  With many items under £10, it's an opportune time to update your wardrobe on a budget.  Click now and save La Redoute

This 50% wool roll neck sweater starts from as little as £8.00.  Just one of the many bargains to be had.  Shop now.

Choosing a winter coat to suit your body shape

Deciding on which winter coat to buy can be a real fashion dilemma as there are so many to choose from.  Especially in the January sales you can find yourself making impulse purchases if the price is right.  I always have a good rummage through my wardrobe before I hit the online sales so that I buy more of what I need and not more of what I already have.

This year I need a 100% wool winter coat to cope with the weather we've been having.  If I do go for a wool blend like this Reiss Angel Fit And Flare Coat then it has to be at least 80% wool as I must admit that it is getting harder and harder to find 100% wool coats.  When browsing online most winter coats are advertised for example "Single Breasted Textured Coat with Wool".  So you know right away that it is a wool blend.  I hope I don't have to compromise my number one priority of being a 100% wool as there are lots of stylish wool blend coats out there. 

Material sorted now I can focus on style of coat.  Double breasted coats are a definite no no for me as they are not particularly suited for women with large boobs.  This classic design coat looks fine on me when unbuttoned but when buttoned simply makes my boobs look squashed and saggy.  So I'm afraid that rules out double breasted and military style coats  for me which amazingly limits my choice of winter coats as the stores and high streets are flooded with these styles of coats.

So body shape is important if you want to ensure that your new coat looks great on you.  To define your bodyshape click here to view this video Find Your Body Shape and Your Fashion DNA.

Unique handmade gifts for her that would not disappoint

Are you tired of your girlfriends, wives, partners etc returning your gifts post christmas?  Then opt for unique handmade gifts that leaves them wondering "where did you get that"?  Whatever the occasion - anniversary, birthday, valentines, birthday, unique handmade jewellery is all it takes to say how special you are to me.

Returning unwanted gifts have become so common place that a gift receipt is now a natural part of your wrapped present.  Gone are the days when you removed the price tags from your selected christmas gifts as you didn't want the person to know how much they were worth as it were; though gift giving should be more about the thought and sentiment rather than the gift.  Some women, I am sure would disagree as they believe luxury gifts are the only expression of love.

So what do women want from a romantic gift for her?

Without a doubt, with gifts exchanged between romantic partners there is always a weight of expectation on the part of the woman who wants to feel appreciated and know that her partner "gets her" or understands her as a person.  It's not so much a matter of how expensive your gift for her is but how suited it is for her personality, her tastes, her desires.  Even better you can't beat a memento of a moment shared -  how romantic!!!! 

Unique handmade gifts for her makes a woman feel so special and captures the sentimental part of gift giving that translates into "you took the time to find me a special gift that I will treasure forever".   Click here for more gift ideas.