Plan Your Wardrobe, Work your Plan

With 2008 looming what better way to start the year than with a co-ordinated easily accesible wardrobe. My mind is already awash with a million and one resolutions and I'm already bounding around like an over excited puppy, fizzing over with excitement knowing that if i can achieve my aims my life will be that much more fabulous. So where to get started. Well I've been reading a lot of self help recently to put myself in the right mindframe for 2008 and I'll save you some cash as most of the advice boild down to a few basic principals.
Numero uno - Set goals, 2. Set a deadline for your goals and stick to it 3. Don't sweat the smal stuff! 4. Most of it is small stuff!

Ok So wardrobe wise I'm thinking this means, de-junk. I am the worst at this I'm a major hoarder. I just can not let go of stuff even if I know I'll never wear it again. I might just wear it round the house I convince myself. Even if it is an ultra tight floor length tiger print skirt I bought when i was 13 hardly the pinnacle of style. Anyways I digress so let go of stuff you won't wear. Be firm with yourself and think not only will you be doing the world a service by giving your unwanted wares to charidee (you model citizen you!) but you'll also be freeing up much needed space for those 08 fashion moment you won't want to miss.

Ok apart from space organisation is a bit deal. I'm not going to go all Martha stewart and recommend colour coordinating as it's so blah and pretty much impossible as no one has that much free time. And anyway if I did i'd rather be indulging in my secret habit of watching QVC - hey it's relaxing. So the best thing to do is just group like items together but also break them down into sub sectins. Think of your wardrobe like a mini boutique. So all jeans together, all black trousers together etc. then go that step further by segmenting them into work, play, weekend, party! and voila. Mon - Fri will mostly be work but you may have to dip into play if you're going out in the evenings etc. This way you avoid the Thursday morning can't find anything to wear panic that results in your whole wardobe being tossed onto your bed in morning rage! Not a good look.

It's that simple and rememer what they say if you can stick with it for a month then it should stick forever.

Have a great christmas!

I Heart Big Hair!

Ok first let's get one thing straight by big hair I don't mean a ridiculous Amy Winehouse beehive. No that's so not hot. Conversely what is hot is glossy, bouncy hair a la Racquel Welch and Elle McPherson. There's something about hair that's got just the right amount of movement. And that reflects onto your face making it glow. It just screams gorgeous and healthy. You know the kind that the models in all the shampoo adverts flaunt. So whether it's curly, straight, or wavy get your bounce on and I assure you others will take notice!

Neo Classics

Classics translate into trusty old favourites. Every autumn winter magazines do tasteful fashion layouts on the one or two items that will pull together every outfit and result in tres chic with minimum effort. They're usually a well cut white shirt or a sensible pair of brown leather boots or something that would fit neatly into that category. Well quite frankly I'm bored of these so called style staples. How many white shirts, little black dresses, black/beige trench coats (delete where applicable) can you own without getting sick of the sight of them. Well personally one of each is it for me.

But there's new breed of usrpers creeping in keen to steal the limelights from these prim and proper yearly offerings and I've got to say I am sold. Patent Black and gold accesories are really doing it for me at the mo. They say young, foxy and so owning it on the dancefloor. I recently got a gorgeous black patent belt wih a gold buckle and feel like Joan Collins circa Dynasty when I wear it powerful, bold and sexy.

Statement jewellery: A big cocktail ring (always in silver, never gold - that's just the rules), or a great distinctive necklace really pull together an outfit. Especially something that can look a bit boring like the office staple of pencil skirt and tucked in white shirt it just says I'm taken a moment to think about my outfit and makes it that much more interesing and visual.

The Superclutch: The only prerequisite is that they're large slouchy or structured there's just something so fashiony and confident about a woman who can pull off this look. For daytime style Vuitton do a great selection and there are many similar alternatives from the high street. I'm addicted to patent at the moment so I'd say for evening go high shine, and bold. The best version I've seen of this trend is a super body con LBD with a patent black superclutch that had silver letterng embossed all over it. Trust me it looked gorgeous!!

Ideas:

Style Advisor: Christmas Party Dress Special!!!

Christmas parties are the perfect excuse to splash out on a new frock. And preferably something that says I'm here, gorgeous and deserve a promotion. You want to be the envy of your co-workers. There's no more delicious sound than hearing your male co-workers sharp intake of breath as they never knew such a hottie lurked behind those glasses and the women jealously clutching their men. Looking stunning is your revenge for the year long stresses and strains you've put up with. This is your time to shine so let's get blingin!

Tips and tricks:

- Don't feel you need to dress in something sparkly to stand out from the crowd. Effortless sophistication is what you're striving for so think well cut and most importantly figure flattering.
-This is one occasion where trousers and jeans (shudder) are not going to make the cut so don't even think about it.
-Shoe wise go for metallics silver and gold go with pretty much everything are are in keeping with the festive spirit.
-Black is banned!!
- A jewelled headband is a great accessory if you want to go for subtle impact.

Some Ideas:

Grey Dress:Antic batik 148 pounds

Beige Dress: Shakuhaci dress £148

Silver Stilettos: Christian Loboutin

Pretty Sketches

Fashion illustration never fails to make me wistful about the fact that a set of watercolours is as much use to me as a pair of pastel Laboutins to a goth. Spanish designer Jordi Labanda is an all time favourite for his kitsch sketches of trendy teens. At university I would only ever carry notebooks with his etchings on the cover and was always complemented to them. As I'm always on the lookout for what 'de rigeur' my attention was piqued by a magazine illustration that oozed chic, cool and smart - hey I like to that I'm about all those qualities. Turned out they're by a illustrator called Grant Cowan and aren't they great? A sprinkle of colour goes a long way. Enjoy!

Spotlight on: Marchesa

Superlabel Marchesa have proven themselves to be a lasting fashion tour de force. Their clothes are distinctive on the red carpet as they stand defiant and dignified amidst a sea of drab and try hard designs. Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig make clothes that make you wish your life was a never ending merry go round of parties and soirees just so you could have the pleasure of dressing in nothing but Marchesa. Elegant, form fitting and ultra flattering. Marchesa is fantastic and I simply cannot get enough of it, now if only my pockets were a bit deeper net-a-porter would be feeling the full force of my credit card. Enjoy the looks!

Bring Back the 80s

Often labelled the decade that style forgot I prefer to think of the 80s as the era of female empowerment and formidable fashion. Think Jessica Biels sexy, lithe and quick on her feet in Flashdance. How many imitations has that film spawned? J-LO in the "So Glad" video springs to mind and La Lopez did it justice. Thanks to that movie legwarmers moved away from being an odd appendage like item to exuding dancer chic. Baby gave us suburban chic at it's best in bodysuits and cut off denim shorts as she charmed her way into Patrick Swayze's heart in "Dirty Dancing". Who can forget the dance sequence at the end the lift ooh and of course 'nobody puts baby in the corner'. And the backdrop to this emerging sense of freedom, this bold aesthetic was Janet Jackson calling for "control" over thumping basslines and military beats. Though I was only a toddler in the 80s I salute it and know in my heart that I am truly a product of that generation.

The Hot List: All I Want For Christmas Edition

Tis the season to be extremely jolly. A time to be thankful for family and friends. But there's also the small matter of gift giving and of course receiving!!! It's just too exciting. It's impossible to go wrong with something that says stylish and slick. Whether your budget stretches to Prada or Primark there's a perfect gift solution out there you've just got to be discerning. My top picks are The Apple ipod touch - I haven't met anyone who isn't lusting after one of these. A happy marriage of form and function.

Other Gift Ideas

For him : A Nintendo Wii seems to be the gadget du jour I'm told by my male compadres. Failing this a quality watch will do nicely - Hugo Boss do a fabulous selection as do Jacob the (expensive) Jeweller.

For her: At this time of the year all the big cosmetics houses do great Make up kits. Stila and Mac are at the top of my list as the packaging and the product are always on point and gorgeous! Forget anything practical we can all buy ourselves diaries or whatever but it's the unexpected that prompts happy squeals of delight.

Winter Warmers

I don’t know what it is about winter but it’s got me feeling all warm, cuddly and snuggly. The other day I even caught myself fantasizing about owning a sheepskin lined coat and that’s just sooooo not my style. So a more forgiving fashion compromise in this season of rain and all things cold are tights. Now I’m not talking about the black, shiny, prone to laddering things you wore with your school uniform. Nope, what’s guaranteed to take your from drab to fab with the minimum amount of effort is a pair of wool ribbed tights worn under a dress, layered with a long jumper cinched in at the waist with a fabulous elasticated belt - a little love letter to the 80s. And there you have it instant chic.