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De-clutter your home – De-clutter your life.

De-clutter your home – De-clutter your life. We have all heard of Spring Cleaning and this is that time of year. The weather has been getting me down, so much rain and so many wet walks, I just cannot wait for spring to arrive. I have seen the first signs of spring with the spring flowers and can’t wait for things to warm up. Whilst we are waiting for the warmer weather why not start the spring cleaning. De-clutter your home – De-clutter your life. I have chosen this picture as a memory of time in the sunshine at my friend’s apartment in Spain. De-clutter your home – De-clutter your life. Marie Kondo suggests we start with the clothes, followed by books, documents, and then everything else. I am going to talk about the wardrobe. Before you pack your winter clothes away. First, look at your winter clothes, when you are having trouble closing the drawers or moving your hangers along the rail this is time to let some go. A good way to do this is turn all your hangers around in your wardrobe and every time you take something out to wear, put it back the right way. This way you will see what you are wearing. You cannot do that with your drawers, but you may find the things at the bottom are not worn as much as the ones nearer the top. Before you wash and put away your winter clothes look at what you have,…

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This time of year it is all about layering with colour.

This time of year, it is all about layering.  We do not always need the very heavy jumpers, but we do need to layer our items which allows us to take off if need be. It has been cold, and I am a lover of my long-sleeved thermal top but as temperatures vary sometimes that is not needed. This time of year, it is all about layering with colour. We all know how to layer up, but have you thought about what colours go with what. This is where you can experiment with different colour combinations. This time of year it is all about layering with colour This time of year it is all about layering with colour You could go tonal and wear different shades of the same colour. For example, you could choose a camel pair of trousers, brown boots, cream jumper, with a animal print blouse over the top, followed by a chocolate brown jacket and a bag in any of those colours. This is a nice classic look and if you have the classic personality is one you will wear very well. What about colour I hear you say. This time of year it is all about layering with colour. Well, I am the colour lady!  You could wear several different items on in one colour but different shades like this photo taken in John Lewis. Here we have many shades of blue that will all work with each other. All seasons like blue, just choose…

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New Year – New You

New Year – New You Firstly, Happy New Year to you. Let’s make 2024 the year you step into the new version of you by injecting some style adding key pieces to your wardrobe. Sound exciting?  Yes, our style evolves over time, think about it, you are not wearing what you wore in your twenties when you are in your fifties or sixties. Your life changes though the years, you may have been in corporate and now own your own business, or perhaps you are retired and have a totally different lifestyle. Your style should reflect who you are as a person now. So how do you know what your style is? It all starts with style personality and the type of clothes that you like to wear. Are you a sporty type and like to be able to move in your clothes or are you more of a classic dresser. Do you like to wear sheer fabrics, reveal a lot of flesh or do you choose fitted close fitting clothes? Do you know how to dress your body shape? When I had my colours and style done many years ago, I was amazed in the difference dressing for your own body shape made. It also made shopping so much easier. I have a column figure and no definition of a waist; therefore, a boxy long line jacket would not suit, in fact I would look lost. However, a fitted jacket gives an illusion of a waist and if you…

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Make your sales shopping work for you.

Make your sales shopping work for you. I hope you had a good Christmas, some family time and some-time to chill. Or did you venture to the sales straight after Christmas? This year I noticed that all the sales started online some as early as the 23rd of December which saves the rush to the stores straight after Christmas. I must admit I do love a bargain, but you must be sure that it is something that you love and need for it to be a bargain. Too often we are sucked in by the sale price and think look at what I am saving, but you are not saving, if this is just going to clog up your wardrobe and you are never going to wear.  Make your sales shopping work for youAre these items current stock reduced? Some sales are very genuine with items that have been reduced as stock that has not sold.  You will know if you have been shopping in the store before Christmas as you will recognise them as current stock. They could be odd sizes, end of lines and have genuine reductions.  Others are items that for whatever reason have not sold. Sometimes, there may be a full rack of items all the same in every size. Also check the amount that it has been reduced by as sometimes it is very little, and others are up to half price. This tells me that it did not sell for whatever reason.  When this…

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Last minute Christmas stocking present ideas.

Last minute Christmas stocking present ideas. First I would like to wish all my followers a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I would like to thank you all for your support throughout 2023. It has been a challenging year for me personally, but I am looking forward to a new year full of fun and laughter. Last minute Christmas stocking present ideas. Last minute Christmas stocking presents I have a few ideas for some last-minute presents as stocking fillers. This is the last one of these scarves that is made of recycled plastic bottles. It is in a lovely teal and yellow colour. Just the pop of colour to add to a plain coloured coat. It is lovely and soft and ideal for people who are allergic to wool. This retails at £20.00 plus P&P but I am happy to deliver if you live locally in Chelmsford.             Crystal Bracelets Last minute Christmas stocking present ideas. I have always sold jewellery and accessories and like to change what I have to offer my clients and customers.  Hear I have combined my love of crystals with my love of jewellery.  With these bracelets I have combined the therapeutical reasons for the crystals or you can choose one by the colour to compliment an outfit. These are £10.00 plus P&P           Keyring’s  Last minute Christmas stocking present ideas. I have had one of these keyring’s for some time and they…

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Are Black Friday deals all they are cracked up to be?

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…

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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…

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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…

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Faux leather fashion always seems to be on trend.

Faux leather fashion always seems to be on trend. Faux leather always seems to be on trend and now the shops are full of it. I have two skirts which I have had years one black and the other chocolate brown. You can dress them up with a nice silk blouse or wear them more casual with a chunky jumper. Faux leather fashion always seems to be on trend. I have just bought myself a pair of faux leather trousers, which took buying several pairs to find the right ones. Denim jeans are not my thing, but I have several pairs which I wear at home or out and about with the dog. These faux leather trousers are jean styled with a straight leg. Be careful when ordering as I found many of them are ankle grazers which I can’t stand. Having long legs, they always look like they have had a row with my shoes. The standard leg in River Island is apparently 31″ which I can just get away with wearing flat boots or trainers. These come from River Island not a shop I usually shop in. They come in Black, Brown, and dark green. There are lots of different styles out there. I found some are like a jogging bottom, wide leg, the wide leg finishing on the calf, slim leg, and jeggings. The choice is yours for your body shape and style. In my mind you are never too old to wear this trend. I chose…

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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…

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