Lock down Archives — Colourworx

Posted on 8 December , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

My style tips on how to disguise your tummy area.

I get asked this question all the time. How do I camouflage my tummy area? I guess it is an area that many ladies carry their weight. If it is not here it is probably on the thighs or bottom. It is all about being a woman and loving your curves and learning how to make the most of your lovely figure. Here are my style tips on how to disguise your tummy area.

My style tips on how to disguise your tummy area.

When you talk of body confidence so many ladies are conscious of their tummy area. I know since the menopause my body shape has changed and I sometimes feel bloated in that area. So, here are my tips on how to camouflage your tummy area with some simple styling ideas.

Choose the right underwear for your outfit.

This is so important as your underwear is the canvas which you put your clothes on top. Firstly, get yourself fitted for a bra. So many ladies are wearing the wrong size, and this will impact on the overall look of your clothes. If you have large breasts that are hanging low, you will not be able to see your waist. I am not a fan of support knickers as the fat must go somewhere and you can end up with a muffin top. Choose a pair of knickers that will give you a smooth line and no VPL (Visual Panty line) particularly if you are wearing a slim fitting dress.

Things to avoid.

Avoid Boxy Clothes can add pounds.

If your blouse has a square bottom that finishes across your tummy it will add pounds. Look for a top with split sides or a curved bottom as this will move with you and work with your curves.

Avoid Baggy or Tight Clothing

I have seen larger ladies choosing to wear very large loose-fitting clothes, but this can just make them look larger. On the other end of the scale wearing clothes that are too tight can make you look larger. When I worked in Wallis, I would suggest to ladies to try a larger size as the clothes would hang so much better. Do not get hung up on a size label as no one see that only you know what size you are wearing.

Avoid detail at the waist.

Try to avoid trousers with a front zip and go for either a side zip or flat front skirt or trousers with a wide waistband and no zipper. This will avoid any extra bulk around that area. Take care of pleats and make sure they work with your curves and not accentuate them.

Draping & Ruching Works Well

Soft clothes that drape is a gentle way to disguise extra weight in the tummy area. Ruching across the tummy area can cover a tummy but be careful not to have too many gathers as this will add bulk.

Direct the eye away from your tummy.

If you do not want people looking at your tummy, redirect their gaze to your neckline and face. A top that has some embellishment or interesting detail at the neckline as a great way to distract. A beautiful necklace also works well to put the focus up top.

Style with layers

Thin layers can work well to distract the eye. For example, try a long line t/shirt under a longer cardigan. This can give the illusion that you are taller than you are. If you carry your weight around your middle, try wearing and empire line dress which hangs from the bust and this will hang loose around your tummy area. You could wear a fitted jacket over the top to give an illusion of a waist.

Dress with colour in mind

Wear the dark colours on your bottom half and add the pop of colour in your top. Or dress top to toe in one block colour and wear a single-breasted jacket that nips you in at the waist left open. Or a long line jacket or cardigan in a pop of colour.

Jeans, Trousers & Skirts

Choose a waisted or just under the waist trouser or jean as this will hide your muffin top and will give you a smoother line. Unfortunately, it is not easy to buy a pair of jeans with a side zip, but a pair of jeggings will give you a smooth top. Sometimes you can buy a skirt or trouser with a side zip. I do have a few summer skirts that are just pull on and they work well as it gives a flat top to wear something outside.

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I also have a Youtube channel where I store all my videos. Why not give me a call for a chat to find out how I can help you on 07786 632798. Or email me sandra@colourworx.me or visit my website www.colourworx.me

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Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 16 July , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

Do you have too many clothes in your wardrobe?

Do you have too many clothes in your wardrobe and do not know what to do about it? You find it difficult, letting things go in case you might get an invite somewhere to wear it. Or, you may have paid a lot of an item and feel guilty about letting it go or you may have an emotional attachment. I have a few suggestions here on how to rethink your wardrobe and wear more of your clothes.

Do you have too many clothes in your wardrobe?

I cull my wardrobe each season and as I put the next seasons clothes back into the wardrobe it is a good idea to put all the hangers one way. As you get things out and wear them, when they go back into the wardrobe, put the hanger the other way round. This way you will see which items you are wearing and which you are not. This will make it easier to see which items you no longer wear.

Most women wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time

Do you have too many clothes in your wardrobe?

If you have too many clothes in your wardrobe this can cause overwhelm. You cannot see what you do have, which makes putting outfits together very difficult. Things get lost at the back of the wardrobe and you end up buying more which sometimes you will already have. This then becomes a costly mistake.

How many costly mistakes do you have?

Some clients I have seen have items in their wardrobe that still have the tags on. We all make mistakes and buy items that are not right for us for many reasons. I am usually quite good and when I buy a new item, I hang it on my TV rail in my bedroom. I check my wardrobe for things that I can wear with it, and if I don’t think it will work well with my wardrobe, I return it. My husband gets cross with me because of the number of returns from online orders. I hate ordering online as they never look like the picture online but of late, we have not had much choice. The point is you don’t want to fill your wardrobe with items you are not going to wear.

Mistakes made in the sales

Sales can be a time to buy things that you don’t need. We all like a bargain, but it is not a bargain if you are not going to wear it. Ask yourself the question if I could have afforded it at full price would I have bought it? I say this as usually I buy things in the sale that I would not have been able to afford at full price. Shops that are out of my price range normally I visit when they have a sale. In the past I used to buy many things in the sales ,and I found that when I was culling my wardrobe, I found that the sale items were the one to go.

Shop you own wardrobe

Yes, I have suggested this before, but it is a good way to find the hidden gems lurking at the back of the wardrobe. Ask yourself if I was shopping now would I buy this item? If the answer is no, then perhaps it is time to let it go. Try and make some outfits from your existing wardrobe that you have not worn together before. You will be surprised how many outfits you can make out of a few clothes.

My challenge to you

Pick out ten items from your wardrobe and make seven outfits one for each day of the week. Start with a few basics and then add the colourful tops. This is a way of making your wardrobe work for you. Having fewer items in your wardrobe make it easier to choose what to wear and to put outfits together.

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Posted on 9 July , 20219 July , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

My tips on how to dress your changing body shape.

Our style changes as we get older, and our lives change. You may have had a corporate job and needed to be booted suited. Perhaps you now work from home, so you no longer need to wear a suit. You may be retired or working less hours so need a different kind of outfit. Either way you need to find your own sense of style and to wear clothes that not only look good but make you feel good too. Here are my tips on how to dress your changing body shape.

My tips on how to dress your changing body shape

Our bodies do change shape in our mid-life, it could be the menopause which causes our bodies to redistribute the weight, or it could be a change of lifestyle or just maturing. Either way it is about learning how to dress your new body shape in a flattering way rather than just covering up.

Choose clothes that show off your new shape.

With an expanding waistline I have seen ladies start to wear large and baggy clothes to camouflage a larger tummy area, but this can sometimes make you just look bigger all over. Check out one of my previous blogs with my tips on how to camouflage your tummy area.

Some clients have grown a larger bust (something I would love to have done) and perhaps you were straight up and down before. Now is your chance to wear different tops to what you used to. A wrap style top or dress works very well if you have a good-sized bust. Your clothes need to work harder for you, so you need to adapt your style to your new shape. Choose clothes that enhance your shape and play up your good points.

Understand your body shape.

It is important to understand what body shape you have and learn how to dress it too, bringing out the best in you. If you need help with that, I have an eBook available on my website which explains how to define your body shape, and how to make the most of it. You can purchase the eBook for £7.99 on my website.

Know your style personality

This is something I go into detail with on a style consultation as it is important to know. It makes choosing outfits so much easier. Are you a classic dresser, or perhaps a more sportier lady who loves easy to wear clothes in soft draping fabrics? This also follows on and enables you to define your own style.

Inject some colour into your wardrobe.

I see so many ladies as they age turning down the amount of colour they wear. Just because your hair has gone grey you don’t need to wear grey too. In fact, if you have decided to embrace the grey in your hair that’s great but don’t wear grey as well as you will look all grey. Grey is a great base colour, and most colours will work well with the grey. I am a great believer that wearing colour really can make you look and feel better. Why would you want to blend in anyway? Everyone can be the best version of themselves and to look and feel fabulous.

Become the best version of you

Embrace your new body shape and the next phase of your life. Let’s face it, you would not want to be dressing in the same way you did in your 20′ in your 50’s or 60’s. There is a way to love your body for what it is and learn to make the most of it. Your aim is to build a wardrobe of clothes that you love, and love wearing for the way they make you look and feel. This will give you confidence to be who you want to be and go out into the world happy in your skin knowing that you look fabulous. If you need any help, please do get in touch. Feel free to subscribe to my mail list or follow me on social media the links are below.

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Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 28 June , 202126 June , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

Colour yourself happy by choosing colour to enhance your mood

Use colour to enhance your mood. Colour brings out the best in you and makes you look and feel fabulous. Therefore, so many ladies choose to have a colour analysis done. Yes, it is an investment in you, but who does not want to look and feel fabulous. Wearing colour can change the way you feel, some colours will deplete your energy whilst others will give you energy. Colour yourself happy by choosing colour to enhance your mood.

Understand the benefits of wearing colour

After a trained as a Colour and Style Coach and the more that I understood about colour the more I wanted to know the true benefits of wearing colour. I decided to do a Colour Therapy Training to understand the reasons why some colours were energy giving and others were not. I know that many ladies like to wear black as they think that it is slimming and yes, it is, but there are so many other colours that will do the same. Black is a very negative colour and can deplete your energy. It is also a colour of authority and can make others wary of approaching you. If you have to wear a black suit for work, I suggest that you wear some colourful underwear of accessorise with some colour in jewellery in a scarf.

Colours to wear to feel calm.

Think of doctors and hospitals they are always painted in a soothing pale green or blue for a reason. This is to keep patients calm before an appointment. If you are going on a long hall flight and want to be able to sleep part of the way you need to wear light calming colours. If you choose to wear a bright red track suit you will not be able to rest and get any sleep.

Colours to give you energy.

Bright red and orange are particularly high energy colours but for some people will be too bright for them to wear. If you turn down the colour, say from orange to peach that will be enough for some. You don’t only have to wear the colour on top. You can wear it in your underwear, or socks in your boots if you feel you need that energy. If you have high blood pressure bright red is probably not the best colour for you.

All colours have an energy

Some people are more aware of the energies around them. My trainer told me a story about a disabled client who she took personal shopping. This lady was partially sighted and was in a wheelchair. She gave this client lots of different coloured tops to try on and she came out of the fitting room and said she would take the lot. She said that her carer only buys her black and now she has experienced how wearing colour makes her feel, she never wants to wear black again. How powerful is that, she felt different wearing the different colours.

Look for different colour combinations

When I am looking for inspiration for colour combinations I think of nature as nature never gets it wrong. I was out last weekend and saw this flower bed with purple and orange together and I thought wow that would make a great combination. Would you choose to wear these colours together? if you did not want to wear that level of colour you could turn the volume down. Dark purple trousers with a orange or peach top. If nature can do it so can you.

It is fun to have a play and try with what you have in your wardrobe. Look for different colour combinations that you have not tried before.

Find the right colours for you

Have you ever thought of having a colour consultation? Finding out the right colours for you can be life changing as it for one lady who came up to me at an event. Jane was working in a corporate company and kept getting overlooked for promotion. After a colour consultation it all changed. Jane went from wearing a boring black suit to work every day to finding her own sense of style, wearing colour. Blending in was a thing of the past and she started to get noticed. One promotion after the other which she put down to the confidence she had gained from wearing the right colours.

Find out the benefits of a colour consultation

Click the link to my website to learn the benefits of knowing your colours to give you the confidence to be how you want to be

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Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 18 June , 202116 June , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

My top tips on how to camouflage your tummy

Everyone coped with lockdown differently. I know myself we seemed to go from one meal to the other, as it was the best part of the day sitting down together to enjoy a meal and a glass of wine. Bob and I stepped up our exercise routine to try and compensate for the expanding waistline. If your tummy has expanded like mine here are my top tips on how to camouflage your tummy.

My top tips on how to camouflage your tummy

In this blog I will share with you some ways you can camouflage your tummy area and draw the eye away. When you talk of body confidence so many ladies are aware that they have a large tummy area. I know in my family that is where we store our fat, some ladies will do so on their hips others their highs we are all different.

It’s all about choosing the right clothes to wear.

Wearing the right underwear – This is so important as your underwear is the canvas which you put your clothes on top. Firstly, get yourself fitted for a bra. So many ladies are wearing the wrong size, and this will impact on the way your clothes look. If you have large breasts that are hanging low, you will not be able to see your waist. I am not a fan of support knickers as the fat must go somewhere and you can end up with a muffin top. Choose a pair of knickers that will give you a smooth line and no VPL (Visual Panty line).

Draping & Ruching – Soft clothes that drape is a gentle way to disguise extra weight in the tummy area. Ruching across the body can cover a tummy. Be careful not to have too many gathers as this will add bulk. There are many dresses available with draping across the waist and longer length t/shirt too. It’s just best to try and see what works for you.

Boxy clothes can add pounds – If your blouse has a square bottom that finishes across your tummy it will add pounds. Look for a top with split sides or a curved bottom as this will move with you and work with your curves.

Ask yourself am I wearing the right sized clothes?

Avoid baggy or tight-fitting clothing – I have seen larger ladies choosing to wear very large loose-fitting clothes, but this can just make them look larger. On the other end of the scale wearing clothes that are too tight can make you look larger. When I worked in Wallis, I would suggest to ladies to try a larger size, and you could see that the clothes would hang so much better. Do not get hung up on a size label as no- one sees that, only you know what size you are wearing.

Direct the eye away from the tummy – If you do not want people looking at your tummy, redirect their gaze to your neckline and face. A top that has some embellishment or interesting detail at the neckline as a great way to distract. A beautiful necklace also works well to put the focus up top.

My top tips on how to camouflage your tummy.

Avoid adding volume to the waist – Try to avoid trousers with a front zip. Go for either a side zip or flat front skirt or trousers with a wide waistband and no zipper. This will avoid any extra bulk around that area. Take care of pleats and make sure they work with your curves and not accentuate them.

Style with layers – Thin layers can work well to distract the eye. For example, try a long line t/shirt under a longer cardigan. This can give the illusion that you are taller than you are.

Dress with colour in mind – Wear the dark colours on your bottom half and add the pop of colour on your top. Or dress top to toe in one block colour and wear a single- breasted jacket that nips you in at the waist left open. Or a long line jacket or cardigan in a pop of colour.

My top tips on how to camouflage your tummy.

These are a few of my top tips on how to disguise your tummy. If you are interested in having a style consultation with me please visit my website to find out what it involves. I am now opening up for 1.2.1 appointments if you would like to schedule one. Alternatively, you can contact me on my details below.

I hope you have found this useful, if you need any help or advise, please do not hesitate to get in contact and I will be pleased to help you. You can follow me on Facebook where I regularly post style updates. Pinterest is a love of mine and here I have several boards from style, colour combinations and many more. If Instagram is your thing, I am on there as well. Why not give me a call for a chat to find out how I can help you on 07786 632798. Or email me sandra@colourworx.me or visit my website www.colourworx.me

If you have enjoyed reading my blog, please feel free to share on Facebook and or pass on or sign up on my website to receive regular alerts on my new blog posts.

Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 28 May , 202128 May , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

How to move into your Spring/Summer wardrobe

I don’t know about you ,but I am fed up with this weather. Yesterday we went for a walk, it started to rain as we got out of the car, and we got soaked walking into town. We sat down for a coffee under cover in the sunshine and as we left to walk back it started raining and the hail stones came down. Today we put on our heavy winter coats and the sun came out and we were hot. The forecast for the weekend looks good and temperatures are set to rise up 22c. Here are my tips on how to move into your Spring/Summer wardrobe

**Is your wardrobe ready for the lovely weather coming this weekend?**

How to move into your Spring/Summer wardrobe

With the weather so changeable it is difficult to know what to wear to cover every eventuality. This is when I go for layers. Layering up your clothes gives you the flexibility to take off, or add as the weather changes. I have already put away my heavy winter clothes and have my lighter clothes in my wardrobe. These I can layer up. I have not got my legs yet ,but have already started using my coloured moisturiser to take add some colour to my white legs.

How to move into your Spring/Summer wardrobe

So, instead of wearing thick jeans and boots, swap them for a pair of 7/8 cotton trousers and some trainers which I have chosen today. I have put a short sleeved-jumper and topped with a denim jacket. Rain is not forecast for today, but I may put my rain mac in the car just in case.

Go shopping in your own wardrobe

As we are now looking to wear clothes that we have not worn for a long while it is nice to have a look through what you have. Sort out what you know that you are no longer going to wear. They can either go to charity or perhaps you can sell them online. Take say a pair of trousers that you love and shop your own wardrobe. I mean look for items that you can wear with these trousers. You may surprise yourself and come up with new ways to wear what you already have.

Most women have too many clothes

I hold up my hand for having too many clothes in my wardrobe as I found out in lockdown. Too many clothes lead to overwhelm. (There are only so many clothes you can wear). Most women wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time. Are you one of those ladies? If you are then you need to have a good declutter and remove what you no longer wear.

Our style changes overtime

When you shop your own wardrobe think about each item and say to yourself would I buy this piece now? As we get older our style changes and evolves, and we no longer want to wear what we used to. Therefore, we continually need to rework our wardrobe and not hold on to things that we no longer wear or make us feel good. This gives clarity, and it makes getting dressed in the morning so much easier.

Look at ways you can wear your summer dresses now

Look at your summer dresses and see if you have any that you can wear now. If you have a button through dress perhaps you could wear that over a pair of trousers with a t/shirt, underneath and wear open. If you have a pinafore dress instead of wearing alone or with a t/shirt put a light jumper underneath.

Try to get more uses out of one piece of clothing

It is all about getting more wear out of your clothes, particularly if you can wear them for more than one season. I have learnt over the years that buying in sales or cheaper clothes these are the ones that I wear less. Also, when decluttering are the first to go. They are not a bargain if you don’t wear them. Going forward I will be buying less and wearing them more.

Have you thought about investing in a Colour Consultation?

Having a colour consultation is an investment in you. Once you know the colours that suit you building a capsule wardrobe is so much easier. In a session with me, I also show you different colour combinations that you may not have thought of. Have a look at my website to see how you would benefit from a Colour Session with me.

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If you have enjoyed reading my blog, please feel free to share on Facebook and or pass on or sign up on my website to receive regular alerts on my new blog posts.

Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 14 May , 202112 May , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

Lockdown has changed the way I shop going forward

Lockdown has made us all think differently about so many things. More and more people are working from home and perhaps will go to the office once a week. I think it has made us all think about our lives, where we are going and looking to the future. One thing that I noticed was I was not wearing all of my clothes. I have had a huge thrift and weeded out unwanted items. Here are my thoughts on how lockdown has changed the way I shop going forward.

Lockdown has changed the way I shop going forward.

I know that when we open and I am back working fully I will need to be wearing more of my everyday clothes. I have learnt that I need to think differently about what I buy in the future. It has made me think twice about buying in the sale. During my clearing out process I noticed that several of the items in the charity bag were items I had bought in the sale. What does that say to you? Was I just buying them because they were cheap? They cease to become a bargain if you don’t wear them.

Small local boutiques and independents.

With so many shops that have left the high street and not enjoying shopping online I must look elsewhere. I am going to start buying from the small boutiques and independent retailers. Hopefully going forward there will be more small shops that will appear.

Fast fashion and landfill

This is something to think about, at my age I am not wearing fast fashion straight off the catwalk. So, perhaps now I should be looking to pay more for my clothes and buy better quality and less items. When you are young girls you like to follow fashion and buy items that have a short life that are cheap to buy. This is all very well but look at the problem we have with landfills. Looking what into my charity bag they were things that I didn’t pay a lot for. Hence they were worn out looking and needed replacing.

Buying better quality clothes.

Choosing to buy better quality clothes does not necessarily mean that you spend more money. If you buy less clothes which you wear more often and you work out the price per wear you will be surprised. They say that most women wear 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time. If this is true then we all have too many clothes. With less clothes in your wardrobe, you have less to choose from. This makes getting dressed each day so much easier.

Have you thought about buying preloved?

Charity shops now are so much better than they used to be and some look like a nice boutique. You do have to be prepared to have a rummage through, but I know several people who have bought some really nice designer pieces for a fraction of the price.

Dress agencies are another way to sell and buy your clothes. Generally, they only take items that are a higher quality that are not worn or tired looking.

eBay or similar online selling sites are another way to purchase nearly new items. These are ways you may be able to buy a high price item and a better price. Some women buy things that they never wear and even have the tags on and are brand new so, definitely worth checking out.

Facebook also has many groups with shops like Boden and Ketterwwell Colours where customers can sell their clothes.

Colour Consultation

If you have had a colour consultation with me, you will know which colours are right for you. Also,you would have learnt how to put together different colour combinations. You will have a set of basic colours and a set of your wow colours and they will all work well with each other. They will all have the same undertone of colour and so they will all mix and match. This means you will need less clothes to make more outfits.

Have a think about investing in you to find your perfect colours. Please feel free to give me a call for a chat or look at my website to see how you would benefit from a Colour Consultation with me.

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Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 16 April , 202116 April , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

How to change your wardrobe to life out of lockdown

I guess that if you have been working from home you have probably been wearing leggings or track bottoms to the office. Now we are allowed out I am keen to shed the old layers and start to remerge as the real me. I am excited about coming out into the world again and wearing my nice clothes. Here are my tips on how to change your wardrobe to life out of lockdown.

How to change your wardrobe to life out of lockdown

The shops are now open and there is that urge to go and shop till you drop. I went into town this week. Debenhams is open to sell off all the remaining stock and it was heaving. There were huge queues to pay. Primark was popular as there were lots of people walking around with bulging Primark bags. So, there must have been people doing just what I said, and I guess that as Primark does not have an online presence, they just wanted to get their Primark fix. Can you resist the urge to go and buy? Followers of fashion need to get the latest trend. If not start by looking at what you do have and find those gaps that need filling or items that need replacing.

How to change your wardrobe to life out of lockdown

Debenhams stock is all discounted both winter and summer items. Do you want to buy winter stock now, even if it is cheap? You may not like it next year. Summer stock perhaps yes. When I am looking to buy in the sales, I ask myself these questions.

Do I need it?
Would I have paid the full price?
Do I have something similar already in my wardrobe?
Do I have something to wear it with?

It is all too easy to think you have a bargain but if you are not going to wear it, it ceases to be a bargain.

Have a look at what you do have before your buy.

Now it is getting warmer it will soon be time to change your wardrobe over. I do this every season. whilst doing it I cull whatever I have not worn, or think I am unlikely to wear again. If you want to buy a few new pieces to add to the wardrobe, you must let some go. One in one out. Find the items that have worn out and need replacing and put to one side. As an example, white jeans do not last forever, so you may need to replace those. Tee Shirts are another that do not last forever, so perhaps you have a few of those you might need to update. Go through your whole wardrobe like this.

It will not take as long as you think, and this way you will be able to see the gaps in your wardrobe. Write a list of what you need to take when you go shopping. Then, when you are in the shops and perhaps looking at sale stock at least you will be buying what you need which then will be a bargain.

Start putting some outfits together.

Whilst you are going through your clothes look for colour combinations you could try that perhaps you have not tried before. One of my previous blogs talks about different colour combinations you could try. Take a look on my Pinterest I have a board for colour pallets which show you lots of different colour combinations you may not of thought of. Have some fun with it, see how daring you feel you can go. Orange and blue, purple, and yellow, green and blue, teal and orange, pink and red, the list goes on. The colours do not have to be bold and bright they can be muted and soft.

I feel a new me is emerging from lockdown.

During the last year I have learnt a lot about myself, about others, about what is important to me, and how I want my life to continue. I have done a lot of personal development, progressed spiritually, and read loads of books. On a business side, I have written an eBook about style, updated my website and currently putting a online shop together on my website. Also, I have also written an online talk all about Colour and Style for any groups still meeting on zoom.

It feels like a chrysalis turning into a butterfly and coming out into the world a different person. My hair has grown beyond belief which would not have happened had we not been in lockdown. Next week I am having it styled in a different style to before. I am going to be bolder with my colour combinations and embrace colour and the person I love to be.

How has lock down changed you? and how will it change your wardrobe? I would love to hear from you, please feel free to comment at the bottom of this blog.

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Find out which colours work best for you!!

Posted on 12 March , 202112 March , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — Leave a comment

What will you be wearing when you are allowed out?

Yes, this is an interesting concept. What will you be wearing when you are allowed out? It will be warmer and spring like so you will need lighter clothes perhaps. Now is the time to sort through your spring clothes and see what you have.

What will you be wearing when you are allowed out?

Unpack your spring wardrobe and firstly check your key items like for arguments sack your white jeans. These are a key staple in your wardrobe that you wear every year, and you may have to replace them from time to time. Check to see.

They still fit you.
There are not stains that cannot be removed.
You still love them.
Or they are looking tatty.

You may want to upcycle them, dying them, making them into shorts or a skirt or passing them on. If not, you can put them on your list of new things you need to purchase. Jeans are now coming in all shapes you do not only have to have skinny jeans as wide leg, boot cut, mum jeans are also all on trend.

What will you be wearing when you are allowed out?

If they are good to go, wash and iron them ready to wear when the weather changes. You can go through your wardrobe like this and start putting the lighter clothes into your wardrobe and putting away your heavy jumpers. When transitioning from one season to other layers are the way to. I love to do this as it always gives you an option to remove something if you get too hot, but I hate being cold.

Do you have any Spring dresses that you could layer up? I love to do this with a button through dress. Here is a blog that shows how you could wear this in several ways. You can layer it up with a roll neck jumper or long-sleeved top, or if it is a bit warmer a vest top. You could add a pair of leggings or skinny jeans underneath to add warmth. It is about getting as many outfits as possible out of one item and styling them different ways and being able to wear them in several seasons.

What will you be wearing when you are allowed out?

What you want to do is firstly replace what you need to, before just buying anything for the sake of having something new to wear. You may have replaced the white skinny jeans with a boot cut pair, but you will have things in your wardrobe that you can wear with them. so, I think it is important to find out what you need first.

As yet we don’t know what will be available in the shops as last time, they were open they would have had winter stock. Will that have been shipped off to a warehouse somewhere to be replaced with spring items? Or will the shops be full of sale goods? I guess we will have to wait and see.

Check online for their spring stock.

Most of the online stores have a section for “NEW IN” This is the section, I always go to first. If you are unsure how to put items together in this section they have usually styled it up for you. With your list look to see if you can find the things that you need, and you will get some ideas on how to put an outfit together. Another thing to do for inspiration is to look at celebrities or people in the public eye who you admire. I used to love the way Lady Diana used to dress and would get ideas from her. She had some lovely dresses, but she was also a particularly good casual dresser too.

Support the independent retailers.

Where at all possible I like to support the small independent retailers like myself and recently I came across www.downyourhighstreet.com On here are small companies selling their own clothes and there are some nice original pieces that you will not see anywhere else. And you are supporting a small business. They also have 15% of this weekend (12 & 13th March). You can also subscribe to get 10% off.

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Posted on 5 March , 20214 March , 2021 by Sandra Sparrowhawk — 2 Comments

Will you be going back to the High Street in April?

Will you be going back to the High Street in April? I will as I cannot wait to get back to normal whatever the new normal will be. I have really missed the whole retail experience. Being able to touch, feel, and see, what I am buying means so much to me. As I have said before the colours online do not always look the same as in person. This was the reason why I decided not to take my business online. I have an example in a blog a wrote about a red jumper that I ordered online and how different the colour looked in the flesh. I also love going out with a friend having a look around the shops and not necessarily buying anything. Stopping for a coffee or lunch and having a nice girly time.

Will you be going back to the High Street in April?

Following on from last week’s blog where you were freeing yourself from clutter and spring cleaning your wardrobe. You may now have some gaps you would like to fill. Perhaps you have had to let go certain items that were past their sell by date and you now need to replace a few things. You can look online from the comfort of your home to get an idea for what is available, but I will wait until the shops open next month before I buy. Most sites have a “New In” section which is always nice to look in as these items are fresh.

Yet we do not know what the retail shops will be doing with all their stock, as they have been closed since mid-December. Will they hold all their winter stock till next year, or will they all have huge sales? Going into Spring will people want to be buying winter clothes even if they are discounted? It must be a huge dilemour for the retailers and a cost to keep stock in a warehouse it will be interesting to see what they do.

Will you be going back to the High Street in April?

Whether you decide to go back to the shops or not is a personal decision, I guess we have all got used to doing our own risk assessment before venturing out. I am fortunate to be having my vaccine on 13th March and so I will have some protection by then, but I can understand why some people may not be ready to take the plunge. Whatever your situation I think it is important to buy what you need rather than just what you see. (Unless of course money is no object). If you are buying for an occasion it is always nice to know that you will be able to wear that dress again. This will differ of course if you are a follower of fashion and have to have the most up to date fashion piece.

Have a look at what you have in your spring wardrobe.

It will not be long now before we will be able to put away our thick winter jumpers and wearing lighter clothes, perhaps in layers. If you have a favourite pair of jeans you like, you could purchase a new top, blouse, shirt, or summer weight jumper to wear with them. This would not be a large investment, but it would give you a boost and something new to wear when we come out of lockdown. I love the feeling of wearing something new, it gives me a lift which is something we all need now.

Choose something in a colour that lifts your spirits and that you know suits you. Take some inspiration from nature when looking for colour combinations, there are so many lovely colours out there now. With mothering Sunday around the corner, there are lots of gift ideas out there, you may get some ideas for a gift to yourself.

If money is tight you do not have to buy new.

I guess that the Charity Shops will open shortly too, and if people have been at home for a while, they too may have been doing some decluttering. I think that the charity shops will have a lot of donations to go through so there might well be some bargains to be had. otherwise, there is always sites like eBay and Vinted that are always advertising as somewhere to sell unwanted clothes which will be worth having a look at.

Many people pass on clothes before they are worn out, and often still with the labels on. They may have changed their mind after buying but not bothered to return them. Perhaps they can no longer fit into them anymore. Or perhaps they have just fallen out of love with them. I think it is a fantastic idea to pass them on and let someone else enjoy them. This way you can often buy an item that you would not normally have been able to afford at the full price. I have a couple of jackets that I bought from a dress agency. One is a Valentino which I would never have been able to buy new. It is a classic and been in my wardrobe for many years.

The High Street will look different.

With so many shops no longer trading the High Street is going to look different and take a while to recover. I guess shopping how we knew it before, is going to be different. Either way it will be nice to be able to go out, meet friends again and start to get back to normal whatever the new normal will be. I think it is important to took forward, the weather will be getting warmer and we can now plan a few things for later in the year to look forward too.

I would be interested to hear your views, please feel free to reach out to me on my details and social media platform below.

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