It's been over a year since I bought anything from Zara, but I can honestly say that some of my favourite ever pieces, and many of my fall back head-to-toe outfits, have been from this fashion powerhouse!

Since my challenge of 'not buying anything new for a year' and with my 'conscious shopper' head on, I do struggle seeing the vast amount of fast fashion that's produced to tempt us each season - is there really any need to produce so much? On a positive note, there is now a huge focus on an ethical supply chain, a goal of zero waste by 2023, and their environmentally conscious sub brand, 'Join Life', is growing fast - by 2025 100% sustainable cotton, viscose, linen and recycled polyester will be used across their collections!

I wore two of my favourite head-to-toe Zara outfits today - one for commuting to QVC and one actually on air! All pieces are old but here are a few environmentally conscious alternatives that are available right now from the 'Join Life' collection (just click the images for links to the website). My continued wardrobe goals are to buy less, wear more and shop a mix of ethical High Street brands, smaller independents, pre-loved and charity shops - you not only spread the love and help the environment, but you get a way more interesting wardrobe this way too!

This gorgeous camel cape coat from Zara is the perfect layer for these chilly mornings. It's not as heavy or structured as a coat but much more than a cardi. They have just brought in a beautiful deep red tone too - a great way to embrace the colour of the season!! 

Have you put your sandals away but not ready for your boots? These are a great transitional shoe for this in between time! Swap your ballet pumps for a pair of these cross strap flats and you'll update your outfit in an instant!

I love this time of year when I work with many clients finding their perfect occasion outfit for a wedding, christening or day at the races! One recent client has 13 (!) weddings this year and many with the same crowd - we had our work cut out but found some totally fabulous outfits that she felt a million dollars in! Here are my top 3 occasion outfits so far this season.....

Happy Shopping!!!!!

As soon as you walk around any womenswear shops at the moment you will be confronted by an army of all sorts of different shirts and shirt dresses! If you haven't used your iron for a while you better dust it off and de-scale! You're going to need it keep up with this trend!!

One of the huge catwalk trends with shirting has been labelled 'de-constructed shirting' where you will find an average shirt has been taken apart, mixed up, cut about and put back together in a much more interesting way! Interesting sleeve details are also a feature breathing new life into the standard shirt. See images below.......

Credit: Vogue.co.uk

I'm a big fan of shirts and always rely on them for great transitional pieces - they still give good coverage but have a fresh spring feel about them as we leave our warmer fluffy knits behind! The difficult bit is which new one to choose!! Here are a few favourites out on the High Street....... click the image for the link........

Take a look at this fantastic short film of the Rose Theatre Fashion Show 2017 that I produced in January. It takes you behind the scenes and gives a real feel for what the evening is all about - catwalk show, pampering stands, designer accessories stalls, raffle prizes, goody bags and lots of fizz!!! Thank you Caroline Jones Photography for all the fabulous photos and video too!

If you aren't already into park run, HIT or marathon training then make 2017 your year to start! I did my first 5km run in December dressed in a Santa suit at Belvoir Castle and was super happy with myself! I absolutely loved it! My new years resolution is to do a 5km run once a week, and instead of a Santa suit, I can't wait to wear the fabulous new active wear out on the High street! Fashion retailers are taking advantage of the massive fitness trend and launching their own active wear ranges. Gone are the days of boring black sportswear!

There's no better way to start the New Year than with a wardrobe detox! Surely it's the best detox ever as it costs no money (always a bonus at this time of year), you don't even have to leave the house and you can still eat and drink what you like!

Spending a few hours reviewing your current wardrobe and making the most of what you already have (honestly, everyone has some good stuff!), you will not only feel totally revitalised but it will also focus you in on what you actually need. This is always important when the sales are on as it will prevent you buying stuff for the sake of the price! Not only is there a huge possibility that, through conducting your own wardrobe makeover, you will find something fabulous to wear, but it will also enable you to cleanse your closet, make space for new pieces and you'll be able to move your hangers to be able to see what you actually have! It feels fabulous to know exactly what is in your wardrobe and know what you are doing with each item, what you are wearing it with and where to. Don't let your outfit selection stress you out each day - make it a new years resolution to detox your wardrobe!

On a recent Facebook LIVE for QVC I also talked about the benefits of not splitting your summer and winter wardrobes - it's amazing how many summer items you can put layers underneath to enable you to wear them all year long.....and completely nail a trend whilst you're at it! Click on the photo below to watch the Facebook recording.......

My Tips for an Effective Wardrobe Makeover......

1. Be prepared to spend at least 3 hours on the review and get large bags ready to put any well loved but now redundant items in to give to charity.

2. Start with your bottoms as these are the foundation to your wardrobe - how many pairs of blue jeans do you need? Do your 7 for all Mankind jeans from 2004 still fit you? etc. etc.

3. Then move on to tops, dresses, jackets and finish with shoes and accessories - be ruthless.

4. Questions to ask yourself - when did you last wear it? Does it still fit? What are you wearing it with? Can you complete the outfit or is something missing? Where are you wearing it to? It's amazing how much people keep that simply doesn't fit or doesn't have a place in their current lifestyle. e.g. how many black tie dresses or sling back shoes do you need when you go out once a fortnight to the local pub?!

5. Anything that you've decided to part with needs to go into a bag for charity or, if in good condition and a higher end brand, it could well be worth selling in a local dress agency, or use fantastic website 'Hardly Ever Worn It' that sells gorgeous second hand fashion.

6. If you come across a piece you love but don't know how to wear it, then you may well be missing a key item. Make sure this is a focus on your next shopping trip and refrain from buying another grey marl jumper or breton stripe!

7. Anything that needs dry cleaning, altering or repairing, put it to one side and not back in your wardrobe! Make that pile a priority so you can get wearing them again and then they won't just sit in your wardrobe!

8. Once you know you love everything that you have kept, then think about how to use the space you have available to you. The more pieces that are visible the better - the more you see them the more you wear them. We aren't all lucky enough to have the dressing room space like my lucky client below, but think about shelving for shoes, clear shoe boxes, velvet coated thin hangers rather than wooden ones which take up so much space! Just having a refined wardrobe will help dramatically with this.

At the end you should feel thoroughly cleansed and super happy with yourself! You now have a wardrobe of items you love, that you know fit and a whole host of new found outfits to enjoy!

After doing a Wardrobe Makeover you may find you still never have enough time to choose an outfit in the morning. If so, try taking photos of yourself in your outfit each day and keep them in a folder on your phone. Use this as a reference each morning when you wake up - it's your own wardrobe catalogue to choose from and it takes just a second to snap yourself in the mirror in the morning or evening.

And if you can't imagine ever getting round to doing any of the above, then just get in touch and let me do it all for you - I'll even find those missing items on your list and create your wardrobe catalogue for you!

Happy cleansing!

Part of my brief on a personal shopping trip this week, was to find something gorgeous and red for my client to wear on Christmas day! There is of course a huge amount of red, sparkly options out there, but to find the right piece that doesn't scream sexy Santa or Virgin air hostess is not the easiest task! With all the necessary research prior to the session, we nailed it first time and found the perfect piece - I loved it so much I had to go back and get one too!

Other gorgeous red pieces.......

A fabulous personal shop today with a real focus on shoes and accessories - the well known way to transform an outfit in an instant! Here are my favourite buys.....

We had a truly blissful personal shopping session at Westfield London today - so quiet in comparison to the mayhem of Black Friday! We started in Zara at 10am and had the entire place to ourselves - even the staff were smiling!

Best finds of the day had to be the fabulous, gold, Christmas party pieces.......

I am now officially in Christmas mode! It's the 1st December and my 2 boys have ripped open the first window on their advent calendars!!

The excitement begins and with it, comes the present buying list!!! ahhhh! What do you buy a sister in law who is about to have a baby? A brother who is back on the dating scene? Or a mum who is about to retire? I've got it......a personal styling voucher from Style Bureau! Give that special someone the most fabulous gift experience they will never forget! 

See below for styling services and gift vouchers to choose from..........

If you can't decide which service to choose......

Twelve items identified at the wardrobe makeover, all bought in a 2 hour personal shopping session and we came in under budget! A brilliant result! Check out the best finds.....

I was dubious as to whether Black Friday would be of any benefit to a client when doing a personal shopping session - I always associate Black Friday craziness with nutters fighting over flat screen TV's! So, did the pain of the crowds pay off and give us those bargains we were hoping for? My verdict is a resounding 'YES'!! 

If you love a deal, then you can definitely grab amazing discounts on clothes (and not just all the stuff they can't shift), but it's well worth planning so you know who's discounting and whether it's on selected items or not. For example, the effort in Zara just isn't worth it. The store is rammed with frantic bargain hunters and the discounts were on selected items only. As everything is already keenly priced, the discount is minimal and you can guarantee the things you want, won't be included in the promotion! 

Black Friday fashion really pays when you treat yourself to a higher end retailer who keeps things simple and offers the promotion on 'EVERYTHING'. The best example yesterday was All Saints who had 30% off everything. If you have dreamed of one of their beautiful leather jackets then this is the day to buy it! It's a hell of a saving with full price jackets being around £320!

Other retailers embracing Black Friday discounting yesterday were Banana Republic, Warehouse, Topshop and Ted Baker. Definite bargains to be had!

And From An Ethical Point Of View...............

On the flip side and from a personal point of view, Black Friday doesn't sit that well with me. I'm of course not one to turn a discount down if it's offered, but there is something quite grotesque about the assault made on the High Street yesterday. I hugely admire the retailers who make the brave decision to opt out of participating. Those retailers such as Jigsaw and Fat Face were an absolute pleasure to shop in yesterday and I completely understand why such ethical brands choose to hold tight. 

As reported in The Guardian, Peter Ruis, chief executive of the Jigsaw Group, said: “Black Friday warps our perception of what’s valuable and important. Has that product being offered at 20% off been designed to offset the price decrease? Has the supplier had pressure put on them to take the hit? Was it always meant to be at that price anyway and been ‘price established’ higher?”

“We buy products for their quality and craft, and quite simply because we love them. We want them to be ethically sourced. We want them honestly priced. That defines our perception of absolute value.” 

Reading Peter Ruis's comments gives me warm feeling - so much warmer than a 25% discount on a jumper!

Also reported in The Guardian, John Snare, founder of the brand 'Braintree' which was set up in Australia and is now based in London, said: “Black Friday doesn’t sit well with us as a business but it’s impossible to ignore. This is our way of participating without compromising our values and is a very good opportunity to support some important causes.” Braintree will be donating half of sales via its website on Black Friday to the refugee council and a second charity to be voted on by shoppers.

Fat Face is again running it's alternative Black Friday campaign in which it donates 10% of net profits over the Black Friday weekend to charities local to its stores. Last year the company handed out just under £200,000. 

Tell me this doesn't make you feel warm and fuzzy!!

So if bargain hunting for fashion is your thing, then it's definitely worth braving the crowds - just do your research first, plan your trip and identify the pieces you want to buy before you get there. Never buy something just because it's on promotion!! And don't dismiss shopping at the stores not involved - admire and support them too!

I have been searching for the perfect gift for a very special friend who's about to have a baby, and came across one of the most adorable ideas - almost brought a tear to my eye it's so cute!!! 

On a recent personal shopping session I came across a gorgeous black dress in Topshop that is so versatile, it could be worn to a number of different occasions. It's elegant, sophisticated and could take you from work, to your Christmas party. Due to the length and beautiful cut, it doesn't scream PARTY dress but can be totally glammed up with fabulous bold colour shoes and sparkly clutch bag. On the other hand it can also be worn with ankle boots and leather jacket/blazer to work (as I have been wearing it). The absolute best thing about it is that due to the asymmetric design detail and draping, it looks so much more expensive than it is! It's only £59!! Happy days!

After lots of fabulous menswear shopping sessions, I have to share some great outerwear that's on the High Street right now. Along with shoes, outerwear is a super important piece for men to invest in - it's the main piece see through the winter season! 

HAPPY SHOPPING!

A great 'desk to dinner' dress for autumn winter and an easy way to inject some colour into your work wardrobe!

On a recent personal shopping session my brief was to find a gorgeous maternity wardrobe that ideally didn't include specific 'maternity wear', so the items could be worn after having the baby too. Here are a few favourites from the day.........

HAPPY SHOPPPING!

Even though most of us are still waiting for summer to appear (grrr!), the shops are already gearing up for that transitional time to take us into autumn. It's my absolute favourite time of year when I can start getting the layers on! It may feel a bit premature, but if you do fancy investing in a few items that can be worn now and take you through to autumn winter, then these are a few staples that will see you through.......all found on personal shopping session this week at Westfield London.

Download the full list of items seen at my latest fashion show, held on Thursday 29th January at the Rose Theatre in Kingston.  

Don't forget to use your discount vouchers from your goody bag!

Happy shopping!

I'm loving the fabulous fringing trend that emerged from the AW14 catwalks! Seen in ribbon, leather and silk and across skirts, dresses, tops and accessories! I know what my statement bag is going to be this winter!

Catwalk Inspiration..................

Here are some High Street finds to do the fringing trend right now......

Happy Shopping!

Do you feel like your work wardrobe needs refreshing? Check out these fabulous smart work wear tops found on recent personal shopping trips - some are even in the sale!

Click here to return to the main blog page.

Happy shopping!

Happy shopping!

Click here to return to the main blog page.

Happy shopping!

Click here to return to the main blog page.