Support your local boutique

We are officially out of the recession, so Brian Lenihan is telling us but I wonder how the shops are taking this particular piece of news? Time will tell soon when the Christmas frenzy is over and things have settled down after the sales. It must be really tough wondering what to buy for next year especially in the fickle market of fashion. I say let's support our local boutique.My local boutique is Malahide and I would find it difficult to pick just one because they are all pretty unique in their own way. Now I am addicted anyway when it comes to style but there's something about the smaller, more local boutiques that beats the large departments hands down every time.Maybe it's the friendly service, or the fact that they know you and know just what you like? They are on first name terms with you and you always feel welcome when you enter the shop. As a personal Shopper I'm constantly recommending boutiques to people, one of my favourites is Bibas in Malahide, for all the forementioned reasons.Biba's is choc full of the most wonderful style for Wedding gear, specialising in mother of bride and Groom. A must for a visit.You will be helped and given as much time as you need to choose that oh so special outfit.You will never be forced into buying anything you are not completely comfortable with. Bliss boutique is an aladdins cave of fabulous acceasories, their uniqueness is that they customise whatever it is you choose, whether it's a quirky fascinator, sparkly shoes or a bag to die for then this is the place to be. I intend visiting all our local boutiques over the coming weeks and will be reporting back.Where is YOUR local boutique? Why not visit them, let them really get to know you and I think you will be in for a very pleasant surprise.

let´s get real!

Having pondered a bit on my last blog I´ve come to the realisation that we´re being sold a whole heap of lies! I don´t believe there is a single product out there that will do as it promises, absolutely nothing that remove wrinkles once they are in place. The same goes for eye bags, lip lines and anything else you care to mention. However, if, and this really IS a big IF you have found somethig that does what it says on the tin (sic) then let me know asap and it will get a mention soon (cant divulge yet)! I hate my little ziz zaggy going everywhere lip lines and have tried everything to get rid of the critters but they aint budging. So it´s over to you now. But only something that has definitely worked. Promise? A very merry Christmas.

Altered Images

Have you been reading all the hype about Twiggy and 'those' touched up photos? God she looked fantastic in them and I must admit I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I realised they had been altered.It seems airbrushing is the order of the day.Who's real anymore? It's time to stop the kidding and admit the little pot of cream might make you feel better but no more than that. Who in Gods name can have wrinkle free skin at 60! It's just not possible unless you resort to either botox or knife and I for one am going nowhere near either one. I love my creams and believe every promise they make until I've used them for the compulsary 30 days and nothing has changed, same old same old!If you saw my make up box with all the half used bottles/jars you'd tell me to get my head tested. Every time I try something new I promise myself 'never again', then along comes Clarins/Estee/whoever with their false promises for all these Nasa tested wonder creams and I'm seduced all over again. Pathetic! I recently had a bit of dry skin on my face and you know what cleared it up? E45! I'm also a great fan of Nivea, in face in a former life with 'Open House' it regularly won hands down when we had products blind tested. But I digress, back to ageing, Joan Collins recently said she refuses to have her photos airbrushed. Good on her! She looks pretty damn good for a lady in her 70's. One of my all time favourites is Honor Blackman, she's absolutely fab, and she's 80. So let's hear it for all the girls who are embracing age with dignity, the wrinkles are real whether we like them or not, and if your pals love you they love you for who you are not how taut you skin is!

Twinkle twinkle little toes!

Can a girl ever have too many shoes? No matter how many times I swear I've bought my last pair (for this month) I manage every time to spot an even more exotic, colourful, higher, more sparkly, etc. etc. you get my drift...Anyway there I was browsing the web (as you do)when I came across a great new online shoe shop called Chockers.It's fantastic, and check out the wonderful prices. Does anyone pay a fortune anymore for shoes anymore? Maybe if the old feet play up or you're dogged with bunions or corns or whatever, but me? never had problem with them. I can wear high heels to beat the band. Bring it on!! However after buying my fabby high brogues earlier this year I'm now reading they're already out of date. What's a girl to do. You see my point though, if I'd spent a fortune on them I'd be crying into super sized clutch! Anyway take a look at the website, I think you will love it x

Are you one of those ladies who must have the latest trend or do you like to stay individual and adapt trends to suit your lifestyle, budget and personality? My stylish friends would never dress head to toe in either labels or faddy fashion. Style is all about understanding and knowing yourself and enjoying clothes. I was watching Gok Wan doing his 'celebrity wardrobe' item the other night and every one of them had a closet laden with labels. Are they just too lazy to go to the high street anymore or are they deluded enough to think that spending a fortune must mean better quality? We all know that's not true. I have been disappointed on numerous occasions with the poor quality and fabrics of these 'must have' designers. Shabby finish, pulled threads and cheap buttons etc. etc.
My advice is always to buy the best you can afford in key items like coats, jackets, and the wardrobe basics. If it's a bit of fun you want and something that's probably only going to last a season anyway then you can't beat the likes of H@M, Penneys, Dunnes, Mango, Dorothy Perkins, Topshop,Next. You'll be bang up to date without breaking the bank.
Right now I'm loving the treggings especially the 'stirrup' ones, we all wore this fashion when I was a teenager so maybe it's just nostalgia but I love it and think it's far more cozy and comfortable than tights for the winter.
So whatever you go for this winter be sure to shop around and most of all have fun!

Sales savvy!

Savvy sales
shopping

We’re all guilty of buying clothes that we will
never wear just because the price tag is attractive.

The blitz is on, ladies, and it’s your
chance to grab some bargains now that
the the party season is upon us. But think
carefully before you lose the run of yourself and
buy the wrong styles just because ‘they are such
a bargain’.

I adore shopping. I could shop for Ireland.
The minute the sales start I’m out there. However
I’ve made so many mistakes over the years and
collected so many ‘orphans’ (clothes that went
with nothing else) that I really had to rethink my
strategy and learn to shop smarter. After all who
needs more wardrobe clutter?

So before you whip yourself into a shopping
frenzy and start burning up the bit of plastic
here are a few tips:

1. Look at what you have in your wardrobe.
Only buy something that will fit in with your
existing clothes, in fact as a general rule I suggest
you only ever buy something that will go with
three items you already have.

2. When trying on clothes make sure they fit
perfectly, if you’re tugging and pulling at them
to make them sit right or fit more comfortably
then put them back on the hangar and leave
them there. They will not fit you any better
when you get home.

3. Does the colour suit you? Be aware that some
colours might look great under artificial lighting
but could end up making you look drained in
natural light.

4. Ask yourself if you need it? How many more
pairs of black trousers or white shirts do you
need? Work out your plan before you go shopping.
A bargain is only a bargain if you need it
and will wear it.

5. What about the fabric? Can you wash it or is
it dry clean only. If you have to bring it to the
cleaners after every wear then it’s false economy.

6. Can you really afford it? By this I mean will
you be paying cash for it or will you just be adding
more on to the credit card. Is it worth that?
If the only reason you are buying something is that it’s drastically
reduced then I suggest leaving it there.


Always examine something before you purchase
and ask yourself if you would be prepared
to pay the full price for it. If not, why? Are you
only buying for the label? You know you can’t
wear the label on the outside of your clothes so
unless it makes you look good and feel great,
then desist. Only buy it if you really love it!

If you’re unsure about something take time
to think about it - if it’s the last item in your size
ask the shop if they will hold it for you while you
decide. If you find yourself thinking about it a
lot then it’s probably a good buy.

Because she’s worth it

I’m constantly learning from my clients. One
young lady I met last week told me she prefers
to save for something that excites her rather than
endlessly purchasing ‘it’s ok’ items. She showed
me a tiny Valentino bag that was to die for. She
had watched it for ages and delayed the gratification
until she had saved the €1,000 to afford it.
Yes, girls, you’re reading it right - €1,000.

In a million years I could never justify that
kind of spending but then again if I added up
all my bargain and impulse buys they would
amount to a sizable sum that would have let me
afford an exclusive coat, handbag, etc.

But she has a point. I once tried on a pair
of shoes that made me feel absolutely wonderful
but on checking the price I nearly choked!
They were €400, so I walked away, unsatisfied.
How could I possibly justify spending €400 on
one pair of shoes? My late mother’s words were
ringing in my ears: ‘Who do you think you are,
Joe Mc Grath?’ Said gentleman was a millionaire
in Kildare where I grew up and this phrase
was quoted on a regular basis by mothers who
thought their offspring were losing the run of
themselves. Old habits die hard!

Later on the same day I totally compromised
myself by buying two pairs of ‘nice’ shoes for €80
each. If you find yourself in a similar situation -
trying to decide between something that makes
you feel fantastic and something that makes you
feel ‘nice’ - ask yourself which item you will get
more wear out of.

The lady is a vamp

Before I finish I thought I should mention a
fantastic workshop we had recently where we
ran a session on ideas for revamping your existing
wardrobe. We had clothes that were dyed,
shoes that were dyed, clothes with new buttons
added, nets added to skirts, corsages stitched on
tops, and hundreds of ideas were shared on how
to layer, and wear clothes differently. We even
ended up with a little sale when people bought
other people’s mistakes. After all one man’s meat
is another man’s poison. A great day was had by
all. I will look at some of these revamping ideas
over the coming months.

Fashion life after 40!

Is there a fashion life after 40?

Why are designers and high street shops only interested in the skinny 20 something year old. Have we 40, 50 year and 60 year olds no spending power and no interest in style and fashion? Of course we have. Just because the body may have gone past it’s ‘best by’ date don’t we love to know what’s ‘in’. Even though pregnancies and maybe even menopause will have contributed to thickened waistlines and fuller stomachs you can still look and feel fabulous. None of my friends have yet succumbed to the elasticated waists or mumsy hairstyles. They all love to look stylish and up to date irrespective of the number of candles they blow out each year.
So what do you do to stay looking good?
Well start by investing in some good foundation garments. Any of us older than 45 or 50 will remember the dreaded roll on. I think this is the main reason that women of this particular age cry ‘absolutely not’ when it comes to magic knickers. Don’t! They are the greatest bit of undie engineering ever, not sexy I grant you but boy do they suck you in. In fact you won’t even know you’re wearing support. I promise! And the best thing is they come in every shape and size and are designed for each body flaw, stomach, hips, spare tyre etc . Whatever your problem is there is a magic solution. Next is the bra. Do you know that more than 80% of women wear the wrong size bra ?. When were you last fitted? If you answer ‘never’ you’re not alone, I know loads of women who are still wearing the same bra size for the past 30 years or so. Marks and Spencers offer a great service and will even bring you in styles to try on in the dressing room. Please do this though. You will be amazed at the difference a good correctly fitting bra makes.
Next, have a good look at your upper arms. Are they flabby? This unfortunately is a common problem after about 45 and nothing seem to work. I’ve tried everything, from arm lifting with bean tins to pinching the fat to break it up, it didn’t work.They still jiggle away and the only thing to do is cover up. It’s no big deal as I adore wraps, pashminas, and nice knits. The boobs have a mind of their own too so I just hoick them a bit higher. One of the biggest sins of ageing is a sagging bust. Try tightening the straps a bit and you might look 10 years younger. Promise! If you still have a good neck wear some fabulous neckpieces. There is the most amazing range of jewellery out there right now. Accessories can instantly update an outfit. You don’t even have to spend a lot. There’s something to suit every pocket. Your local boutiques will have a fab range and will even help you with accessorising that special outfit . If you are lucky enough to have a shapely waist flaunt it with a gorgeous belt. The latest ones just in are skinny belts. If the waist is fairly non existent but the hips are good then drop the belt to below the waist. This is a great way of lengthening the body. It’s an illusion but it works!
How about the legs? There’s a skirt length just right for every woman. Here’s an easy way to find your perfect length. Stand in front of a mirror with a towel. Move it up and down until it hits the part of your leg that looks the slimmest. Avoid skirts cutting across the widest part of the calf, you will look fatter. Either go above or below the widest bit and then measure the distance from the floor. This is a great guideline when buying skirts in future. And dare I say it, keep the knees covered, usually not a pretty sight as we age. They dimple and sag just like all the other bits.
For all you ladies who are carrying a bit of extra weight why not buy some beautiful shoes and bags. This is where you can really score points.
What you need to do is simply take the attention away from the bits you don’t like and draw the focus to the parts you love. Easy isn’t it?
Coco Chanel once said we get the face we deserve…or something like that. You get my drift. Love who you are and the body you have right now! Treat yourself to something nice. Go on, you’re worth it!