Are Black Friday deals all they are cracked up to be? Are Black Friday deals all they are cracked up to be? It is best to view these deals as you do in sale time. There are some great deals out there with so many retailers offering 20/25% off the retail price. This is great if this is something you were already going to buy. However, you need to ask yourself these questions before you buy. Can I afford it? Do I need it? (It’s not a bargain if you do not need) Is it a good price? Do your homework first. Depending on what you are purchasing, if it is an item sold in lots of places check out the prices. One retailer discounted price might be another’s retail price. The important thing is to only purchase what you can afford and need. It is not too early to start your Christmas shopping. I have just returned from a few days in Glastonbury. As we were going to see the carnival we decided to stay just outside the city. We got the bus into the city and walked home after the carnival as we knew that all the roads would be closed. Staying in Street right opposite our hotel was the Clarks Outlet. Well, it would have been rude not to go and look. The outlet was huge with a great choice of shops and there where people walking around with lots of shopping bags, so for sure many…
Category: Shops
My ideas to add some sequins to your Christmas outfit.
My ideas to add some sequins to your Christmas outfit. With just over a month to Christmas and all the parties in the run up. Have you got your Christmas outfit sorted? I have noticed that this season there are a lot of sequins. Where I have chosen this top because it can be worn many ways, and you know how I like to get my pieces working for me. This sequin top is from Marks & Spencer and retails at £29.50. This is the dark blue, but also, comes in silver, black and evergreen. A few months ago I bought this in a lime green, what I love about it as it can be dressed up or down. Wear with jeans for a more casual look, or wear with midi-skirt or wide leg trousers. This will also work for all seasons as it has short sleeves. My ideas to add some sequins to your Christmas outfit. If a dress is more your thing? If you have that special party to go to and would really like a dress, I found this one on SilkFred online. This retails at £99.00 in Rose Gold, but also comes in a Multicolour, Burgundy, and Green. This is a classic style so could be in your wardrobe for many years and come out each Christmas season. I have a similar dress to this in a bright red and it has been in my wardrobe for many years. I was recently invited…
Add one new piece to your wardrobe to make many outfits.
Add one new piece to your wardrobe to make many outfits. Add one new piece to your wardrobe to make many outfits from other items in your wardrobe. Sometimes you must introduce one new item that then allows you to make many new outfits from existing items you already have. This is what I have done here. I have just bought this snake print skirt from John Lewis which was £45.00. It is a chiffon type of fabric made from recycled materials and is fully lined. This makes it suitable for all seasons. This is how I styled my new piece from my wardrobe. In this picture i have teamed it with a cream jumper that I have had a couple of years from M & S. The military style velvet jacket I cannot tell you how long I have had it. I know it comes from J Taylor who used to be in Debenhams. I don’t know why I have not thrown it out over the years as I don’t remember wearing if for some time. Probably because of the colour and knowing how useful an item it could be in my wardrobe. The boots I purchase many years ago from a preloved store in Bishops Stortford. These I don’t get a lot of wear out of as they are big around the top of the leg but because this skirt is so long that does not show. To dress down for a casual look To make the skirt…
Do you have a wardrobe of clothes and nothing to wear?
Do you have a wardrobe of clothes and nothing to wear? Do you have a wardrobe of clothes and nothing to wear? How many times have I heard this; it tends to be a common trend. What a lot of us have done in the past is go out and buy a new top, get home only to find that we have nothing to go with it. Does that sound familiar? Do you have a wardrobe of clothes and nothing to wear? You get invited to a party, look in your overflowing wardrobe and think I have nothing suitable to wear. I bet we have all done this at some time. Yes, it is a very common problem, but why do we have too many clothes in our wardrobe? Holding onto clothes that no longer fit us but hoping to fit into them. They were too expensive to let go of. Never get round to doing a declutter. Have so much in the wardrobe you can’t see what you do have. Holding onto clothes that not in the colour or style that suits you. Sound familiar? Firstly, I would advise only having summer or winter clothes in your wardrobe and the other season put away in a suitcase or under bed storage. If you have plenty of storage in your home and a spare wardrobe that is even better. This allows your clothes to move on the rail more easily so you can see what you do have. De-clutter every…
How to wear your summer dresses into the cooler weather
How to wear your summer dresses into the cooler weather I love my summer clothes and hate this time of year when must put them away and bring out the winter jumpers. As we are having a particularly mild October i have got to wear them for a little longer this year. BUT you can wear those favourite summer dresses for a bit longer if you layer them up. Here are my tips on how to wear your summer dresses into the cooler weather. How to wear your summer dresses into the cooler weather I saw this sleeveless jumper in M & S which makes a great transition piece for your wardrobe. Great for layering up over your favourite summer dress, blouse, or t/shirt it also looks great with jeans or trousers. Going into the winter you could wear over a lightweight jumper as an extra layer. Other colours available are Raisin, midnight navy, and electric blue £27.50. I have checked out other retailers and Next and H&M also have similar pieces. Leather Biker Jacket/Denim Jacket I have a couple of denim jackets one in a light denim, one in a peach colour and a red patterned one. I love all of them and wear them a lot. They are great for a light jacket and can be worn with so many outfits making them a valuable item in your wardrobe. The leather biker jacket I have is in a navy blue and worn a lot in the winter months.…
Cleared the wardrobe clutter – what to do next?
Cleared the wardrobe clutter – what to do next? As you know each season, I clear the clutter in my wardrobe and let go of things that I no longer wear or make me feel good. It is easy to put into piles one for rubbish and one for the charity shop. BUT what else can you do? Let me help you after you have cleared the clutter what to do next. Cleared the wardrobe clutter – what to do next? There are lots of ways to get some money back for your unwanted clothes and here are a few of the high street stores and what they are offering. H&M Take a bag of old clothes to your nearest store and receive a £5 voucher. M&S/Oxfam Donate to Oxfam, including items form M&S and receive a £5 voucher. M&S/Sparks Trade in your old school uniform and get 20% off children’s clothing. John Lewis Sign up to the “My John Lewis” donate 5+ items and receive a £5 voucher. River Island Send items to “Reskinned” and you’ll get a £5 voucher to use in store. New Look Give clothes to a participating hospice and you’ll get 15% off at New Look. Schuh Will give you a voucher for every pair of shoes you donate in store. George at Asda Donate clothes at Asda and get 10% off code for George at Asda. Resale shops on the high street These used to be called Dress Agencies and now they are known…
When you are not looking to buy anything and find a gem.
When you are not looking to buy anything and find a gem. When you are not looking to buy anything that is usually when you do see something you like. This happened to me recently, Bob and I often walk into town with our dog Rosie and stop for coffee before walking home again. Last week I just popped into John Lewis to go to the toilet before walking back and guess what? At the top of the escalators was a sale rail of dresses. This one was screaming at me, so a quick call to Bob to let him know I was trying it on. When you are not looking to buy anything and find a gem. When you are not looking to buy anything and find a gem. These are my favourite colours, and it is so nice to be able to find a dress that is this length. I also have a problem with dresses with a waist as I am long waisted, so this works perfectly. I love button through dresses and particularly this “A” line style as it suits my column figure. Yes, it is a bit shorted than I usually wear but as a holiday dress I think I can get away with it. August/September is a difficult time to shop. This is not the best time to shop as the sales are on the way out, and the winter stock is coming in. I still want to stay in summer clothes for as…
My tips on how to work the sales
My tips on how to work the sales The summer sales seem to get earlier and earlier, and we do not seem to have had a summer yet. Today, as I write this it has rained all day and been dark and overcast. I have always loved shopping in the sales as I love to get a bargain, but it has changed over the years. Here is my take on it. How shopping in the sales has changed. When my daughter was little (she is 25yrs now) I used to go to the Next sale on Boxing morning early with a friend of mine. I used to buy for her lots of new clothes (sometimes for the next winter) as they were always about half price. We used to go around with a large bag and queue to pay. On arriving home, she would tell me which she wanted to keep and which she did not like. I then returned a few days later. There was always plenty of choice and lots of bargains to be had. It became a ritual very year. Shopping online in the sales. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not like shopping online. So often, I am disappointed when the clothes arrive. The Next sale was early this year and so not all their summer stock went into the sale. I am sure they will have another one in the future. II had early online assess and so I ordered a few things…
How get the most wear from your clothes?
How get the most wear from your clothes? How get the most wear from your clothes? I have just bought this skirt from Nobody child from John Lewis, I had been looking for a new sundress and couldn’t find one I liked. This skirt had many colours in it, I could wear it with a variety of strappy tops. What I liked about it was although it is a midi it does have two splits up the front which show my lovely legs when I move. The Skirt retails at £45 but is in the sale at £27 Bargain! Buying this skirt I will be able to make many outfits with several tops in the different colours in the print. How get the most wear from your clothes? How get the most wear from your clothes? Here I have chosen to wear it with a short-sleeved jumper in this lovely warm blue from Zara. This I have had in my wardrobe for several years but funnily enough I have not worn much. My colour pallet is Spring, and I know this print has a black background which I do not normally wear but as it is covered in these beautiful colours, I can get away with it. I wore it to a networking event this week and got lot of compliments. So, I think I will have to wear this shade of blue more often. Look at all the different colours in the print? So, the background is black, but…
Why wearing colour is so important to me
Why wearing colour is so important to me I am a Colour and Style Coach so it is obvious that I would advocate to wear colour, but there is a good reason why I teach and share this. Read on to find out why wearing colour is so important to me and why I love sharing my knowledge. Why do I love colour so much? Wearing colour not only makes you look great but feel great too. It makes you feel more alive and energised. You can use colour to enhance your look. Wearing the right colours brings out the best in you. It shows your own sense of style. Brings out the fun playful part of your personality. It makes your outfit look interesting allowing you to draw the eye where you want. That’s why wearing colour is so important to me. If I was to wear all grey, I would feel grey. I would look lifeless, boring and have no energy. I used to dress like this for the City in a grey suit and white shirt and I often wondered why I felt the way I did. I now know different. Why wearing colour is so important to me. Before I trained as a Colour and Style Coach, I knew that when I wore some colours, I used to get lots of compliments and others I didn’t. Being in the city in the late 80’s the uniform then, was power suits in black and grey mainly. At…
