Style by invitation

Summer’s here and my diary and bank balance suggest wedding season is approaching.

I've visited the wedding lists, planned outrageous fun for the hen party and booked the cozy B&B's near the reception, so there is only one thing left to sort out. The Outfit.

Summer weddings and events like Ladies Day, polo matches and garden parties often bring out the style monsters in us. Girls take the opportunity to cast off inhibitions and layers in favor of garish florals, oversized hats and too much fake tan.

Get it right and summer events can be the perfect time to showcase pretty femininity, and effortless glamour. Here are my top tips on dressing for the occasion.

Read the invite

Garden party, classic church wedding or a sophisticated black tie evening event? If all else fails check the dress code with the host. For church affairs team pale, pretty separates with navy or nude peep toes or sling backs, and a neat blazer for an outfit that will please the vicar and the groomsmen. Garden weddings or outdoor events are more relaxed and if the code is black tie then a gorgeous full length gown is a must! 

Dress length.

Anything too short you risk not looking smart enough for the occasion and feeling uncomfortable. There is nothing worse than regretting a hem line and it’s a sure way to ruin a look.  If you don’t mind getting your pins out opt for a just above the knee to keep your look demure and classic. Maxi dresses might sound like a much safer option but you need to make sure you wear the right one or you could look like more dressed for a day at the beach than a posh soiree.

Think about accessories.

Accessories are the key to a great wedding guest look. The shoes, bag and headgear need a lot of attention. Avoid vertiginous heels that sink in to the lawn or prevent you from dancing till dawn. 3-4 inches are ideal and will give you an overall more groomed look. Pick out one colour from your outfit for your hat or fascinators but avoid matching everything, this can make you look old fashioned. Opt for a neat clutch roomy enough for camera, invite and re-touch makeup, rather than a big bag which will overwhelm your look.

Keep it simple.

In summer it’s tempting to go over board with colour. If you keep your look to just three colours you will look much more style savvy and elegant. Pale pink, navy and nude tones look great together, while coral, gold and white make a bold statement.  

Grooming is not just for the bride.

You’ve probably had this date in your diary for a while so no excuse for not getting in tip top condition. Waxing, manicures and hair appointments all need to be timed to give you the ultra groomed look on the day. And ladies, if you do go for a faux glow, remember, less is ALWAYS more.

Perfect guest style nailed….confetti at the ready!

Planning a stylish sleepover in London..? Z is for Zetter.

Stepping through The Zetter Townhouse door of you could be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled upon someone's perfectly preserved period home due to the exquisite décor and 'front room' atmosphere. But a glimpse of the quirky retro accessories and the achingly cool cocktail bar in the corner suggests you are in for an all together more glamour experience.

Tucked away on  St John's Square in ultra hip Farringdon, is London's newest and coolest boutique hotel offering. The Zetter Townhouse, baby sister to the ultra modern Zetter hotel, is about to open its hand painted doors to a very eager public and last night I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview.

To say the interior has been designed within an inch of its life is an understatement. Every detail of the décor has been carefully planned out, from the vintage books scattered throughout and retro newspaper wallpaper to the taxidermied marsupial that will join you at the dinner table. (Yes I do mean a stuffed Kangaroo). Interior designers Russell Sage Studio have put lot of thought in to the look of the Townhouse, and yet it manages to pull off effortless cool.

This is sure to be the next destination bar in east London, and collaboration with Camille Hobby-Limon and Tony Conigliaro's 69 Colebrooke Row ensures the Townhouse has a cocktail menu to satisfy even the most experimental mixologist. The Koln Martini (gin with citrus aromatics) was totally delicious and good luck resisting the elderflower and Perrier Jouet Twinkle.

The cocktails were the prefect compliment to the substantial and interesting canapés which flowed all night, boding well for the hotels menus. Courgette and ricotta frittata followed by grown-up chocolate fudge. Yes please!

The Hotels opening preview party was not only a wonderful knees up in this homely hideaway, but also a chance for the nosy among us to snoop inside its fabulous bedrooms. Individually designed, each room is a themed treat of old style glamour. From Union Jack bunting bedecking a lush four poster to opulent Moroccan inspired mosaic tiling, each bedroom holds a cosy little secret for its occupant. All rooms have a little window to the en suite bathroom, and one even boasts an in-room tub, allowing bath time audiences for the more confident among us. This place would be perfect for a romantic get away or a fabulous girl’s weekend.

As with all great hotels it's the attention to detail which makes for a truly wonderful stay, and the Townhouse owners Michael Benyan & Mark Sainsbury have risen to the challenge. Ren products ensure you will put the ornate bathrooms to good use, while the yummy snack trays make staying in these quirky rooms as appealing as exploring London.

Complete with private dining facilities and a games room in the basement, the Townhouse has all the ingredients for a classic, weekend-in-the-county style break in the heart of the city; just add a pack of friends! I'm already thinking up excuses for reserving the entire place.

A night in one of these unique rooms costs between 185 for the Club rooms to 798 for the Grand Suite. For reservations and more info email info@thezetter.com.

MOT in time for Spring.

The sun is out, layers are coming off and us girls are THINKING about baring some flesh. So, it's time to give those long forgotten bits the attention they have been missing all Winter.

Of course it would be lovely to head to the spa to for a full body make over in time for Spring, but if your cash won't stretch to a full on pampering, here's my top tips on how to get spring ready in the comfort of your own bathroom, indulging in your very own spa evening.

Spring fling skin, the easy way!

Winter weather and central heating can play havoc with your skin, leaving it dried out and flaky. So it's time to give it some lustre!

Invest in a great exfoliater or body brush. It's important to slough off all those dead dried skin cells which can give you a dull appearance. A good body buff with some lush shower crème will give your skin a wake up call. And leave you feeling totally invigorated. The Sanctuary Covent Garden Salt Scrub is my top pick of body polishers, while The Body Shop body brush is great for busting the appearance of cellulite.
The same applies to your face, though choose a much gentler facial scrub and don't over do it. Facial massage is a great way to plump up and brighten you complexion.

So now you are all fresh and tingly its time to replenish that lost moisture. Invest in a good body lotion or body butter and slather away. Jergens have a wonderful range of natural based lotions, or go for Neutrogena intensive repair if you have extra dry skin.

My tip is to do this at night after a long soak in the bath. Apply a generous layer of body lotion, put on some loose PJ's and get an early night. This way you don't have wait for all the lotion to dry and you're body will absorb it all over night

Reawakened hair at home!

 With glowing skin, it is vital you have the hair to match. One thing you should NEVER try at home is cutting. Book in at the salon for a reshape, or even just a trim to give your hair a spring lift. There is nothing better than neat new hair to make you feel fresh and ready for the season.

Conditioning is the key to vibrant, young looking hair. Whether coloured or natural, your hair will benefit from regular conditioning treatments. These mini hair miracles come in lots of guises, from purse friendly sachets of crème gloss to luxurious Moroccan oil treatments. I recommend selecting a leave-in conditioner which suits your hair type and coating your hair in it before bed. I love James Brown leave-in conditioner. It's light enough to wear daily, but an overnight treatment is ultra nourishing.

Intense hair masques are also a great idea. Apply them straight after washing and leaving them on for roughly three minuets. Aussie three minute miracle is a winner every time. Top tip, pop the masque on in the shower, then spend the rest of the time buffing and de-fuzzing.

Trouble shooting tootsies!

Your feet may not have seen the light of day since last September, but that’s no excuse not to give them an overhaul before slipping on your sandals.

Start by bathing your feet in lovely warm water. Add some foot salts to the water to loosen up any hard skin. Invest in a good foot file or pumice stone to buff off all those callous patches, but don't be over zealous, the aim is to renew your tootsies, not grate them!

Cut or file your nails to a square shape, just long enough that they cover the skin on your toes, and trim the cuticles.

Now the fun bit. Apply a base coat to avoid staining, and pick a colour! Pink and red are hot hues this spring, or opt for popping brights and neons to be bang on trend.

Two coats of colour and a top coat will give you a rich, glossy finish. Butter London are ultra lush, I'll be sporting their pretty coral, Jaffa, this spring. Rimmel also have a wonderful range of up to date shades, and they won't break the bank if you change your mind.

When the polish is totally dry, apply lashings of foot crème. Lots of the products on the market have ingredients which breakdown rough skin. Apply this at night, pop on some bed socks and wake up to silky soft tootsies in the morning.

Rise and Shine!

If you've followed all my tips, you should be waking up feeling fresh, glossy and ready to don that fabulous spring outfit. Slick on some tinted moisturiser, mascara and lip gloss and you are ready to go with an ultra natural, healthy spring look.

That's put a spring in your step!

Calling all bag ladies!

|A week before Christmas 2009 I was unfortunate enough to have my handbag stolen, from right under my nose, in a well lit restaurant, in a ‘nice’ part of town. How they managed it I will never know.

Bad enough, but the handbag in question was my prized, three week old Mulberry, which on that particular day was an Aladdin’s cave, full of my most loved accessories and trinkets.

At first I was massively relieved that my phone and oyster card, those practical life savers in times of need, were safe in my pocket. I could call help and get home. But then I remembered all the wonderful little things that had been snatched from me.

My bag for a start, I spent a long time saving for it, only to have it taken from me. I was warned to keep it for occasional use, ‘what’s the point in that?’ I said.

My quirky, kitsch, Cath Kidston, umbrella, not that pricey, but it was a gift from my sister, and a reason to smile on a rainy day. Gone.

My hobo wallet, bought on holiday with friends in America. We laughed at how we all had the same item. Now I didn’t.

Butter-soft cashmere gloves, purchased in a bargain basement clear out at a store in the highlands of Scotland. Easy to pick up more gloves, but would they remind me of chilly winter days at home?

These are all just material things, trappings of girly life. But we gals get rather attached to what we lug around all day in our bags. They are the little building blocks of our style, and our sanity which define who we are.

And I am not alone, a quick survey of my female friends and colleagues shows we all cherish out handbag contents and wouldn’t consider leaving the house without our lip balm, keyrings, favourite books, even our travel card holders have a place in our hearts.

I read reports all the time about how women should carry less junk, downsize their totes for the sake of their backs, not to mention free up more space on the tube. I believe it is important, but I just can’t. I have tried. I’ve suffered the ridicule of tipping out my sack on the living room floor with great intentions of de-cluttering.  Only to find everything goes straight back in, except maybe old some train tickets and a magazine article I have ripped out weeks before.

In our hot-desking, transient world I love knowing that I can take a few home comforts with me. Many times I have been super grateful for my gorgeous Chanel compact mirror, or my emergency stock of plasters (and chocolate).

Girls, if you have mastered the art of travelling light, I salute you. But for the rest of the bag ladies out there, good on us I say. Pack well, enjoy the rummage and congratulate yourself on never being without a hair band.

As for my long lost Mulberry. It was returned a month later by a thoughtful stranger who found it dumped on a building site. I will never forget his kindness. The contents of the bag were largely intact, if a little wet and mouldy. Thank goodness the naughty people who stole it didn’t love my high class cargo as much as I do.

Knowing the rules: The Stylish Girl's guide to friendship!

Women are bombarded by dictums on how to live a fabulous life.

There are rules for how to get a date -the ancient laws of attraction. Once you have the all important date there is a new set of rules. Never pay on a first meeting or take the boy home.

There are fashion rules. As a stylist, I’m a great proponent of fashion laws. If your legs are out, keep the cleavage under wraps, Smokey eyes or strong lips. Rarely both at once.

Add the rules on how to throw a dinner party while rewiring a plug and you see there is a code of conduct for almost every situation.

I think most women take some comfort in these rules, only to break them with great abandon when it suits.

But what about the basic rules of womankind? Many women simply don't know the rules of how to interact with other females.

I think of my friends and I as something akin to a giant Girl Scout troop. A band of women, who, despite our very obvious differences, share a common femininity.

The first rule we should learn as women is that we are all in it together. Life has a way of knocking you sideways unexpectedly - knowing the good-girl code cushions the blow.

As we grow up, our relationship with other women gets skewed. 

We like to think we know how to be a good friend. But this isn’t always the case. All too often women find themselves biting their lip in envy at a mate’s success. Be it in love, work or hair style. There is a breed of women who can't congratulate others on a darn good job.

We all have so-called friends we wouldn’t trust with our secrets, our boyfriend, or our grandma’s pancake recipe (because you know they will pass it off as their own).

Then there are the professional rule breakers - colleagues who feel the need to step on your point to get ahead. This doesn't work in the end and is a slap in the face for all hard working girls.

The rules exist for all women, even those we don’t know. The vitriol aimed at Kate Middleton is an example of female rule breaking.  Only one woman could marry Wills. Good on her!

So, what are the rules? How do we beat the 'frenemy' girls?

It’s futile to bitch or spread rumours. If someone is bitching to you about everyone else, chances are she is bitching to everyone else about you. Rise above it and you will feel more fabulous than you can imagine.

Don't take joy in other’s misfortune. If you're best friend calls at 3am, hysterical over a text message to The Ex, don't gloat. Remember, we have all been there.

Share. Friends, time and knowledge - in giving you get back. Some of the most popular women I know revel in sharing their friends network. A gracious woman never runs out of people to call.

Taken means taken, simple. Don't break the most fundamental girl code of all. If you take a guy from someone else, then someone else could take him from you!

Compliment at will. I’ve never been in a social situation where a well placed compliment wouldn’t ease things along. We are all a bit scared, validation of our shoes or perfume choices go a long way. Do it and watch the compliments you get back.

And finally, when you do see someone succeed, be gracious and bask in reflected glory. Even when it's hard, and I know it is. Your big moment might be just around the corner and when it comes, raining on your friend or colleague's parade might come back to bite you.

The golden rule of the good girl code is simple.  The pie is big enough for everyone to get a piece, take a bite and enjoy.

Style on a mid-month shoe string!!!

I've been having a mid season style slump this week, coupled by a mid-month cash stretch, leaving me temporarily uninspired by my bulging closet.

So what's a girl to do. I've got a low key dinner party this evening and I just needed a stylish pick me up. There is nothing like a new little item to make you feel ultra stylish and groomed for an event.

Determined to not break the bank ahead of my ski trip next week it's time to practice some chicenomics.
Bored of winter boots and woollies I went on a mini run around the more affordable end of Westfield shopping centre. The home of the ultimate staple is my first stop. Uniqlo. Always on trend and purse friendly. I picked up some chic, classic skinny jeans in Indigo blue for the barginous price of £9.99.

A fab nautical stripe, slash neck top caught my eye. It fits the bill perfectly for my weekend outfit. It's fresh enough for the hint of spring I'm craving, but the thicker material and long sleeves mean I won't be shivering this evening. Ultra stylish and a snip at £22

This outfit will be perfect in a few months with a pair of pumps or peep toe wedges but for my instant spring update I opted for wedge shoe boots in a neutral beige from M&S. At £35  these are a stylish steal, keeping my retail therapy outfit to less than £60 

I'll be teaming these with my favourite vintage blazer, an over-sized clutch bag and a slick of red lipstick to give me an ultra chic, Comptoir des Cotonniers look at a fraction of the cost and the much needed injection of newness into my weekend wardrobe.

Style on a mid-month shoe string!!! Done!!

Stylish reawakenings

Is it just me or are the first flickers of spring starting to push through the grey winter skies?  I love that as I write this at 4.30 on a February afternoon the last glimmers of winter sun are hitting my key board.

Spring on the horizon means a whole new and exciting wardrobe, or at least a few key pieces to refresh your existing one.

Whether it’s a total overhaul, or just a sprinkle of spring gems it's important to dress for the season we are in.

As frosty mornings give way to crisp sunrises it's a great idea to change your outer layer. No more wool coats, duffles or parkas, this is the season of the trench. A true classic and a staple for any closet. Think Greta Garbo, spring time in Paris and ultra chic clean lines.

A classic, slightly heavier trench is a great investment. Layer up with jersey or cotton t's and you will have a cozy cover up to see you through March breezes and April showers.

The same trench will serve you well as a summer time coat for chilly evenings or unseasonal downpours.

These perennial favorites hit the high street every year, with affordable classics on offer from Marks and Spencer. 

If you are going to spend a little more money on this item, invest in one of the beauties on show at Net-a-Porter. http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Clothing/Coats/Trench_Coats.

As investment pieces go, a trench is one that will earn it's keep in just one season.

If you are anything like me, you will be sick of the sight of winter boots, (the same ones we will be in love with come October, how fickle of us).

Thankfully, the days of spring flats are just a hop, skip and ballet pump jump away. 

The rules here are simple. Think ballet pretty combined with commute-proof practicality.  Unless you are a 'car to bar' type of gal (lucky you), then you will need a shoe which is as robust as it is fabulous.

I love French Sole pumps. They range from the most ‘barely there’ slippers, to flats with a decent and durable sole. And they come in a multitude of amazing colours and styles which should satisfy all tastes. I am a big fan of the Henrietta in red croc.

 

These shoes have magic slipper qualities which perk up any spring outfit with some Parisian/ Nautical glamour. 

If you don't feel ready to bare some toe cleavage just yet then Jigsaw's satin trainers are a good halfway house for early spring.

In a range of on-trend pastels, these sneakers give a spring twist to your wardrobe.  Team them with skinny jeans or cropped trousers for a chic-gamine look which should see you through to warmer days.

Spring is always full of exciting collections as designers and stores cast off their winter coats and come up with some lovely colourful ranges and patterns. I love the latest offerings from Boden. http://www.boden.co.uk/en-GB/magazine/Outfits-and-ideas/outfits/womens-fresh-spring-outfits.html#magazine

Pencil skirts with cropped jackets and bold spring patterns give you all you need to say hello to the season.

And don’t forget. It will soon be sunglasses time again…Wayfarers, Aviators or Clubmasters…….decisions decisions… to be continued….!

Here's to a super stylish spring!!