30% off at Gap

If you love Gap like I do, then you'll be pleased to know that they're running another of their fantastic 30% discount voucher offers.

Between 17th and 28th November you can get 30% off the Gap Holiday Collection. Simply print out the voucher by clicking here and take it along to any Gap store to receive your discount.

Happy shopping!

Natalia

Beckham's got talent

I loveVictoria Beckham. No matter what criticism is thrown at her, she just carries on regardless. Her new fashion collection is a resounding success and her clothes are so beautiful. I'm not swayed by the fact that A-list celebrities are wearing her clothes, I just think she's really created something special

Her next fashion foray is into the world of handbags and here is a sneak preview of her utterly gorgeous new bags being launched for spring/summer 2011.

I'm sure they will have a hefty price tag, so I'll be admiring them from the pages of Vogue but it just goes to show that passion and sheer determination can produce success. She's an inspiration to anyone who ever had a dream, so keep going Victoria and don't stop until you've completely conquered the fashion world!

Natalia

Red dress mania!

I loved the red dress Kylie wore for her X Factor performance last night. It reminded me of a gorgeous little red dress I used to own a very long time ago. Ah, those were the days!

I've gone on a bit of a mission to find some lovely red dresses, suitable for all ages and here is what I've come up with. I'm sure there's something perfect for you amongst these beauties, my favourite is the cute red dress from Oasis  - it's adorable and perfect for my Christmas day outfit!

Teatro velvet cowl neck dress - Littlewoods £79

Teatro puffball dress - Littlewoods £79

Little red dress - Oasis £50

Vintage Allure tie-front dress - www.FashionPony.co.uk £80

Fringed dress - M&S £55

Natalia

Clarks gets a makeover

There are certain retailers that you put into the category of fuddy-duddy and un-cool and for me Clarks shoes was one of those.

I have to eat my words because yesterday I was passing a Clarks store and had to do a double-take. The boots that I saw in the window were simply beatuiful. They've also recently been given the celebrity seal of approval by Florence Welch, seen below wearing her Clarks desert boots at Glastonbury.

Whilst also have the reputation for being well-fitting and comfortable footwear (remember your mother dragging you in there for school shoes?) what's not to love?

Here are my favourite boots from their latest collection, so why not get down to a store near you and put a bit of style onto your in-step!

Natalia

Are you a skirts or trousers girl?

Unless you're a sarong enthusiast like David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand or like to wear kilts, then this question is posed to all the ladies in the audience. Are you are skirt or trousers girl at work?

It's a question that struck me as I tuned in to ailing breakfast TV show Daybreak to find out what all the fuss is about. I noticed that Christine Bleakley always wears dresses and skirts when she's presenting the show.

Christine Bleakley on the launch show for Daybreak

I remember that it's a look she also adopted for The One Show, so she clearly prefers a more feminine style when she's in TV Presenter mode.

This got me thinking about my own work wear. Years ago, when I worked in Financial Services it was a very male dominated environment, I had to prove myself to get ahead yet I prefered to wear skirts rather than trouser suits. In my role now working in style and image I still like to wear a smart dress or tailored skirt to business meetings rather than trousers. So why is this?

It may be that my preferences have a lot to do with body shape. My legs are my better feature so I want the eye to be drawn there rather than other rather more dubious parts of my body. I feel that skirts allow me to be more creative with my look, I can wear different coloured tights and boots and change the entire personality of a neutral coloured skirt far more easily than I can with a pair of trousers. If you're not convinced or not sure what shape of skirt to go for, then why not try an A-line skirt. It's a flattering shape that skims balances out the body beautifully it's also a style that suits all body shapes.

Here are two of my favourite skirts from the high street right now:

Karen Millen  - £99

Jaeger £225

Many of my female clients prefer a dress for work as it's an easier option, just one piece that requires no further thought other than tights, footwear and accessories. Dresses have never been so popular with so much choice from high street and on-line retailers. There's even a fantastic blog devoted to the dress called IWantDress.

Trousers might dominate daily work life, but there's always the dilemma of getting a great fit around waist, hips and in leg length.If you've every struggled to find great fitting trousers then help is on the way. The Trouser Room has a pair of black trousers just for you. In four different styles, leg lengths and in 21 sizes from 10 to 20 (including half sizes i.e. 11, 13, 15, etc.) you're bound to find the perfect fit.

So when you go to your work wardrobe what do you see? Are you a trouser gal through and through? Are skirts more appealing or do dresses feel much more like your cup of tea? I'm very interested to know!

Natalia

Make way for Fashion Pony

There's a new kid on the block when it comes to style and its name is Fashion Pony.

Dawn Hunter and Victoria Reddington are the two friends behind this new venture, both with very different styles, but something they do agree on unreservedly is how passionate they are to bring this new on-line store to the market.

Taking a look around the site which was newly launched today I'm stuck by how fresh the designs are. It's so lovely to see brand new designers work being showcased and I love the very feminine pieces these two ladies  have chosen.

My favourite pieces are this Hybrid blue ruffle dress (£90) and the vintage allure Ethel dress (£90) both of which are guaranteed to give you an instant va-va-voom shape!

Let's support these ladies who are dreaming big and have created a little piece of on-line retail heaven. To Dawn and Rebecca, may your success be endless and may you enjoy every moment of it!

Natalia

Kylie's Perfect Pashmina

I  love pashminas. To me they are a wardrobe essential. A pashmina accompanies me on holidays as it's the perfect cover-up when the sun goes down. I tuck one into my handbag on a trip to the cinema so I can curl up in it when the air conditioning gets too chilly. Pashminas add a spalsh of colour to a neutral outfit and just look so stylish.

If further proof were needed, look how great Kylie Minogue looks in her pashmina.

The most stylish way to sport a pashmina is to drape it over the crook of your arms as in the image below.

If you want an accessory that will compliment your winter coat and add a touch of colour and glamour to an evening outfit, something that can be worn all year round and never goes out of style, then invest in a pashmina. The best places to find pashminas include Kettlewell Colours and Monsoon.

Natalia

Free Hot Drink at Pret a Manger Leeds

Here at Style Club we love Pret a Manger. If you do too or you've never been, then here is a perfect opportunity to give them a try. Leeds Loves Shopping has teamed up with Pret a Manger to offer you a free hot drink from their Lands Lane shop in Leeds. The offer is valid until 25th December. Click here to download your coupon.

Enjoy!

November Style Club Event

Just a quick reminder about our next Style Club event coming up very, very soon on Tuesday 2nd November - 6pm to 8:30pm at The City Inn, Granary Wharfe, Leeds

Join us for a fascinating body shapes masterclass this month at our Style Club 'Body Shapes Clinic'.
I believe that everyone deserves to wear clothes that fit and flatter without feeling frustrated. so if you've ever wondered how to dress to flatter the shape you're in and where to find garments designed for your shape, then this is the event for you!

During this fast-paced, fun and very interative workshop, I'll be showing you the secrets of creating perfect proportions, how to love the shape you're in and dress it to perfection. Learn how to go find the styles and colours that are just right for you and go shopping with enthusiasm and pride in your figure.

This event includes drinks, nibbles and a personal body shapes workbook. You can get tickets by clicking here.

Natalia

Less is More

Having seen recent photos of Danielle Lloyd and Cheryl Cole wearing no makeup and daring to show off their natural side, I have to say I rather like it.

Danielle Lloyd fresh faced & braving the cameras

Cheryl Cole looking radiantly pretty

It seems there's a new trend, that of the make-under. Celebrities are falling over themselves to show off how they look without makeup and it's quite a revelation in more ways than one. Yes, I admire how cleverly they apply their smokey-eyed, full-on make-up which I still can't manage to do for myself, but in the images above Cheryl and Danielle look far more attractive to me. All I'd do to Danielle is add a slick of neutral lip gloss and Cheryl I would not touch, she looks utterly perfect in all her dressed down glory.

Sometimes, it just goes to show that less really is more.


Natalia

There's just something about waistcoats!

If further proof were needed of just how wonderful a wiastcoat is for men and women then take a look at Justin and Kate working the waistcoat. See below for some great waistcoats from www.businesswardrobe.com and www.asos.com

Ted Baker waistcoat with beautiful cartography print satin back panel £99 from www.businesswardrobe.com

Ted Baker waistcoat with stunning satin back panel £85 from www.businesswardrobe.com

www.asos.com have a great selection of men's waistcoats this one is £30

Waistcoats are such fabulous, classic pieces that never go out of fashion. The trick is to stock up on them when they are in fashion...which is right now, so go, go, go and don't stop until you have the waistcoat of your dreams!


Natalia

Smart Casual for the Guys

I wanted to show you an excellent example of a smart casual look for men.

Here are Jason Gardner and Duncan James giving their jeans a much more dressed-up and might I also add, extremely stylish twist. I love to see men dressing flambouyantly and Duncan's coat has just the right amount of 'look at me' factor.

Jason looks uber chic in his waistcoat, hat and jacket and both guys have the perfect shoes to complete their outfits. So gentlemen, now you know the secret to dressed up casual style...it's only a waistcoat away!

Dressing up When You're Dressed Down

I had so much fun putting together the workshop for Leeds Loves Shopping last week. I decided to speak about a topic very close to my heart, how to achieve the perfect smart casual look.

We dress much more casually these days both in our work and social lives, yet every single client always tells me that smart casual is the look they stuggle with most. It seems that whilst we want to be comfier in the way we dress, we also want to add a touch of style and chic.

If you couldn't make it to the Style House on Friday then here are my top five tips for giving a casual outfit a dressier look.

1. Sharpen up your act

Create a more defined silhouette. The looser and more shapless your clothing is, the more casual you will look. Smarten up by adding a jacket or blazer, shirt or waistcoat just like these lovely stylish ladies:

2. Add excitement top & bottom
You can glam up a pair of jeans  and a simple top with a beautiful coat and a sassy pair of shoes or boots. Take them off and you are casual once more, perfect for popping out to the shops without having to make a huge effort.

3. Keep it neutral

A simple, neutral column of colour head to toe looks very smart and elegant as it allows the eye to sweep effortlessly along the body. It worked for Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, so why not give it a try?

4. Accessorise darling!

Accessories really do make an outfit, take a look at the images below to see what I'm talking about.

5. Add a hat
In this country, we might as well use the weather to our advantage. I've spotted dozens of beautiful hats popping up in every store on the high street. Go along, plonk your shopping bags down and have a hat trying on session to see which styles suit you best. Hats add something special to an outfit and once you get used to wearing one you'll never want to remove it from your head! Hats cover up bad hair days and give us an immediate air of glamour and mystery. Enough said!

Leeds Loves Shopping

We had a wonderful afternoon on Friday at the Style House marquee on Briggate, as part of Leeds Loves Shopping. Thank you to all the lovely ladies who came along to our Style Club presentation 'How to Dress Up When You're Dressed Down'.

The Style House events were organised by Kirsty McKinnon of Marketing Leeds and City Festival Co-ordinator Alison Sweeny . They did such a fantastic job and everything went without a hitch.

Natalia on stage with Alison Sweeney  (left) & Kirsty McKinnon (right)

Thank you also to Sam from KNM Events for being my 'super' model and helping me to show how to create a range of  smart casual looks, I was particularly impressed with the way she got changed form outfit to outfit in extra quick time.

Finally, a really big thank you to the very talented Sarah Clough who lent me a array of her fabulous belts. Sarah is an incredible belt designer and as any stylish lady knows, a belt is an essential accessory in creating the perfect outfit. You can see more of Sarah's designs at www.opika.co.uk

30% off Body Shop On-Line

Get your Christmas shopping done a little earlier and avoid the queues by shopping on-line with this fabulous offer.

Body Shop is offering a huge 30% discount off all on-line purchases. Visit www.thebodyshop.co.uk fill up your basket and enter the following code at the checkout screen: Autumn30
You'll have to hurry as this offer ends on Monday 18th October.

Why not try their new sweet lemon range of bath and body products. I've just bought the shower gel that also works beautifully as a bubble bath and it smells absolutely divine!

 Don't forget to stock up on some great gifts for friends and loved ones from the comfort of your arm chair. The scented candles and oil burners make lovely presents and will help them chill out over Christmas and beyond. 

Do you love jeans?

I came across a great website that I just had to tell you about.

Ilovejeans.com is a website devoted to everything about jeans. You'll find every brand under the sun, advice about jeans for body shapes and information about size, colour and prices.
It's great to see these specialist sites popping up. Jeans can be the most fantastic items to own and wear but the most devilish to get the ones that are just right for you.

With the jeans dilemma firmly in mind, we've got a Style Club event lined up in the New Year all about how to find the perfect jeans. All will be revealed nearer the time!



Natalia

Heavenly Wardrobe Workshop

A big thank you to all the terrific ladies who attended our October Style Club event last night and a warm welcome to our new Style Club members.

We all revealed our deepest, darkest wardrobe hoarding habits and discovered some of the areas where there are gaps in our closets. A highlight for me was everyone sharing one of their favourite style and beauty secrets.

My secret is using a mug tree to display necklaces and a kitchen roll holder to show off your bracelets and bangles. Dunelm Mill has a particularly beautiful collection of these in chrome which look very striking on the dressing table.

We created new outfits using different pieces of clothing and lots of accessories to change the personality of the garments. We were also entralled by the inspirational Amanda Collins of www.saveyoursole.co.uk who told us all about her fabulous shoe soles and her even more fabulous shoe hotel.

Congratulations to Sharon Cain who won the wardrobe revamp box of goodies, she now has no excuse but to spend all weekend revamping her wardrobe to make it a shrine to her loveliness!

Natalia

Gorgeous jacket

Searching for coats on-line for a client this morning, I came across this rather wonderful jacket that I just had to share with you.

  

It's £99 from Phase Eight and is so very flattering, skimming and body sculpting. If you are top heavy then you'd probably prefer to unbutton it and let it gently drape. The gathered shoulders will help to balance your body out if your top half is smaller than your bottom half.

Natalia