This is the time of year when you have no excuse to look anything less that fabulous! Last year, I took part in a photo-shoot with the family in the colours of the season. This year, I'll be having a quiet one reflecting on the current year and planning the next. What will you all be doing this year?
This year has seen more reductions on the highstreet than years before. This is great news for shoppers as we don't have to wait till boxing day sale to start stocking up. Embellishments such as beads and sequins are big this Christmas. Velvet and Lace were popular choices at Christmas parties. The perusal of the high street's best and most fabulous pieces have started. You've still got one more day to get your party dress if you haven't. Christmas is always a short holiday and work starts very soon, I've added some fab work dresses, most of which you can dress up for a Christmas lunch. What ever you do, have a fab Christmas xx
It's that time of the year again, walking through the high-street and all the marked down posters are up. It includes some of our favourite stores worth sharing.
I had been thinking all week about my colleague who turned up to work in a strong burgundy peplum dress, black blazer and patent black medium heel pumps. She was giving us a presentation about her area of work on the day, the content was excellent, the presentation was solid and she captured our attention and commanded our respect at the end of it all.
I never really linked the fact she came in looking particularly different to the presentation she had to give, till we were discussing casually about stepping up when you have to especially if you feel disadvantaged within you about one thing or the other. She told me, she felt disadvantaged by her height and needed to wear a higher heel and dress the part, she needed to change her game. First of all, I was impressed she chose a dress, then the colour choices, bold enough and not too hard on the eye was all she needed. However subconsciously these could have worked to her advantage on us all, I couldn't quantify. The most important thing is that it did to her!
How you look and package yourself goes a long way in impacting self confidence what ever the situation. It determines to a great extent how people will react to you, giving them a great first impression of you, then you know you have the open doors to show them what you've got.
It's sales season and I spotted the kind of outfit that make those statements for you. Purple is one of the most prestigious colours that add personality to an outfit, and this shade is not only board room compliant but it's strong and stylish. The Hobbs Jacket has an amazing silhouette and a very stylish cut that can flatter most body types. I shop for game changers. This Hobbs Skirt-Suit is indeed a game changer.
Having been away working in East Africa, I'm glad to be back and doing the things I love the most! Have missed sharing my favourite pieces with you and nothing beats traditional British malls and fashion.
I realised on my last trip, for a busy working lady, your most important staple is a dress. Indecision is always linked to the time it takes to get ready and out of the door. Choosing a one piece is easier than a two piece or three. So the staple black trouser and 'which top??' especially if you have a variety can be daunting when making a decision on what to wear.
Work trip in Tanzania
Embracing your femininity and being fashionable are two attributes that strengthen a woman's position in the workplace, topped up with confidence and work credibility....That's a sure bet for climbing rapidly up to your career ladder. You can never be a better man than the other man at work, but you can be a better worker. So stop trying to be him by dressing, walking and talking like him. Remember Margaret Thatcher, who ruled the world in a skirt? There's strength in being a woman. There's a way to look like you're the business. There's always the dress that can say that for you. We've made it a task to find those dresses!
Fashion designers are getting savvier in understanding the needs of working women. They now understand real working women are not interested in the most revealing dresses to wear to work. In the past, most dresses revealed excessive cleavage, strap sleeves or too short. It's great to see a variety of work-appropriate dresses now on the high-street. Dresses that flatters our femininity and shows we are boardroom-ready.
I'm a dress convert and a big fan of Oasis dresses
Do you know there are times when all you have to do is turn up looking nice?
Meet the dresses that say hello for you as soon as you enter the room ....
Today is the start of the English Premier League, and as a stiletto wearing football fan I thought I'd need a little motivation to follow up again this season despite the lack of investment my football team has made during the summer transfer window. I normally don't talk about this sport here ..'Football' -which happens to be a big part of my life. It's helped me make better fashion choices(reason 10), and of course a lot of other perks I've enjoyed. If you watch soaps, this is a year long soap that happens every season...I've compiled some videos why I think every woman should watch football, I know it's already popular...but for those who don't watch it...here are my top 10 reasons why you should............................
1. Who wouldn't like to see a grown man cry
·
2. Proof that men are the weakest sex...watch what happens when you tap them a little
3. They try to convince us being too touchy feely are for the ladies...now watch this.
When Cesc Fabregas wanted to go back to play for Barcelona from Arsenal, he said his heart was there. Well we all know he wasn't talking about Barcelona FC surely, he meant 'Pique' .......
4. Men apparently "don't" betray, argue, fall out or back stab their friends like women do .....now watch this??
5. Understand the man in your life, like a footballer who commits to his team but keeps his eye firmly on the market
6. It becomes okay to have David Beckham as your screen saver..he's your "football icon" isn't he??
7. You can now go to watch the football too, is that not where he says he "goes to" every Saturday??
8. They take off their shirts at every given opportunity - have you ever wondered why most men know the lyrics to 'single ladies by Beyonce.....??
Some sport Eye candy's -not my compilation
9. Proof men do cheat.....
10. Learn to CREATE and MANAGE your wardrobe by understanding
how a football manager sets up and put together a flowingfunctioning team,
that can play together, complements each other, have their own unique style of playing that is identifiable with the ultimate goal to win and stand out at ANY competition.
A football team must present a squad of up to 25 players for a year long season. They can field out 11 players and 7 substitute players and allowed to use 3-6 of the substitutes on one game depending on the competition. Managed by a manager and other support staff (Coaches, Physios, etc) and ultimately have an owner or a group of shareholders.
So how does this relate to your WORK wardrobe?
You being the manager, your friends, advisors/ stylists etc being the support staff and shareholders being those who are affected by your wardrobe. Example being Work bosses who have a dress code for all workers, that will ultimately influence your work wardrobe choices.
Ultimately all you need are 25 pieces of clothing to have an effective work wardrobe in a year. As identified above must include strikers, wingers/midfielders, defenders and a goal keeper. You've got 11 strong 1st choices and substitutes you can use.
Understanding your wardrobe and the formation of your ideal team will help you know where to focus in terms of buying more substitutes. Football teams have many formations. 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 3-5-1 etc. All this mean is how many defenders, midfielders and strikers you will field out and the positions they play. A very defensive team will like to keep it tight at the back and middle, and will not put a lot of effort in going forward. They might end up playing with more defensive midfield players, while most attacking teams will open up and have more strikers/attacking players. What this means for our wardrobe is, we can focus on our defence, build and invest in more solid bases like trousers, skirts and very good lingerie and have a few blouses to wear across a varied range and styles of bottom. We could have a few classic bottoms and a varied range or tops or we could have a standard wardrobe with a matching top for every bottom. My basic rule is that any item you add to your wardrobe can be paired with at least 3 other existing pieces.
Some teams depend on buying expensive players all through e.g. Real Madrid-Galactico's, Chelsea FC etc. While these have earned some instant success for others it wasn't sustainable. Others use a mix of expensive and efficient low cost players. The most successful are those who have a good mix of players that can complement each other, play as a team and of course stay successful. For your wardrobe, a galactico wardrobe will have all 11 designer pieces, such as Victoria Beckham's. While some enjoy a good mix, some are all cheap and like many football teams are always in a relegation battle. Think about the mix of pieces you have and the chances this gives you at your work place. It might be that all you need is a galatico shoe or bag, a decent pair of pants and cost saving blouses to make your statement at work. Think about what you can afford, no point spending what you don't earn. Think of your competition, the survival is always for the fittest.
Ultimately you're the boss, learn how the best bosses build their teams, I'm talking Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho among others..Whether you are dramatic, classic or just sporty in nature, putting your personal mark on your look is the best way to create a YOU image that's fab and identifiable.
Hopefully I've convinced you enough to start paying close attention to the sport, there'll be no need to fight for the remote any more too, plus remember that football is Friday night, Saturday midday and evening, Sunday lunch time and of course match of the day both day nights, Monday night and Champions league Tuesday and Wednesday, all you've got is Thursday which is maybe Gym Night or UEFA cup. That's a lot of time away! Above all ....it's fun, it's full of drama, a lot in it for the ladies plus it makes you better at the stuff most important to us....'Our wardrobe'...
