Shop Smart in the Sales

We all love a bargain, but don't let the slashed prices cloud your style judgment.  It is very easy to fall into the "buy it because it's cheaper" trap for everything you see.  Discounted pieces that you will rarely or never wear can still be a fairly costly mistake.   Ideally, you want to do some research beforehand.  Look at what your wardrobe is missing and try to go with an idea of what you need rather than a scattergun approach.   Obviously, there may be that unexpected item that catches your eye, but make sure it attracts you for the right reason.

Beware of... Hanger appeal Just because it looks gorgeous on the hanger, it doesn't mean it will look as good on you. Try it on! What condition the item is in Is it discounted because the fabric is damaged or the zip needs replacing?  You don't want to spend money having it mended. Fashion prints Will you wear it in two months time, let alone next autumn/winter? Colours that you know don't work for you When you know, you know.  Yes you would love to be able to wear fuchsia pink and it is such a gorgeous top, but every time you try on that colour you look dreadful in it. Put the item down!    Styles that aren't 'you'  Sometimes we are attracted to clothes for reasons we can't seem to explain.   You never wear chiffon but this chiffon blouse is calling to you. And it is discounted. That's not to say you can't experiment and step out of your comfort zone now and again, but ask yourself "Is it really you?". If you don't feel 'you' in it, you will never wear it. All that glitters Leftovers from party wear collections.  It is always useful to invest in some party outfits and even better at discount. Just be sure that you genuinely like the style and that it's a good look on you, don't buy it simply because it's a cheap(er) party dress.       Of course, all sale items can be returned and if you are taken with something but can't decide (even after going through all the tips above!) then you might be better trying it on at home at your leisure away from the packed sales racks.  Winter sales pieces to look out for Coats Always a good investment. Make sure the cut works with your body shape and  stick with styles that are fairly timeless like the trench, parka and Crombie.   Don't be afraid to buy a coat in a colour rather than the default black, grey or navy.  Choose a colour you know you look good in that will work with most of your wardrobe. WorkwearSmart jackets, trousers and skirts are not the most exciting buys, all the more reason to get them at discount.   You still need to make sure they are suitable for your work place and look good on you.  Boots Winter can be fairly long in the UK so our boots get plenty of wear.  It is useful to have some casual and smart pairs but boots aren't cheap, so take advantage of the sales.   Evening shoes If you are one of those (us!) who struggles to find the right shoes at a reasonable price when the party season comes round, now is the time to invest in a bargain pair. HandbagsAs many a woman has said, you can never have enough handbags! So, picking up an extra one (or two) at a good price is always worth it.  Make sure it is the right size for YOUR size and proportions. If you are a petite figure you don't want an enormous bag to swamp you. Accessories are a great way to bring colour into your outfits so you can have some fun with handbags in different shades Still not sure what styles or colours really work for you?   Make 2015 the year you find your unique style.  Book now and start your journey to finding your personal style. clare@looksmagic.biz 07877 654543

Time for a new coat???

A new winter coat is the most exciting buy for winter (along with new boots) and the High Street is exploding with new colour palettes, textures and styles. Whether you are looking for something versatile or something that makes more of a statement, here's our pick of this season's coats followed by some tips on how to narrow down the choice and find one that is just right for you. The Season's Styles Every winter we see the same styles reappear with a bit of an update, whether it be new colours and textures or twists in the detail. Favourites are the trench, pea coat, Crombie and parka. These are all great staples because they never really date. Whilst it's easy to go for the safe options, try to get out of your comfort zone and experiment with new shapes. You just need to make sure the style suits you and works with a variety of outfits. You also want to enjoy wearing it. The big coat stories this season are oversized/boyfriend, pared back tailoring, wraps and capes. The New ColoursYes it is practical to have a coat in a neutral shade (grey, navy, camel or black) that goes with everything, but your coat is not just serving a purpose, it is part of YOUR style. If you choose carefully and get the right colour for you, a colour can be just as versatile. If you like something a bit different you might want to try some colour block pieces. The colour stories for coats this season are cobalt blue, pale pink, hot pink, orange, red and yellow. Pattern and Fabric Stories Tartan is THE pattern to go for and we're not looking at traditional weaves here. There are varying colours and big checks. Following closely behind tartan are Aztec-like patterns mostly in rich colours and fabrics in wrap and cape styles. Both themes make your winter coat more of a statement. Shearling is back along with faux fur and we are seeing these textures mixed with other fabrics too. The furs are fun but not in the least bit practical, but go for it if you dare! Tips to consider when choosing your coat What do you like? Long, short, classic, on trend, creative, neutral shade, colourful, smart, casual? You want something that reflects your style and fits with your lifestyle. There is no point buying a long coat if you are in and out of a car all day, or a short one if you walk miles to the train station. What do you need? First and foremost it needs to keep you warm. Check what it is made of. It must fit well and make sure when you try on your coats that you wear a jumper or jacket underneath. Decide if you need it to be versatile or something different for particular occasions, perhaps a super smart or statement look. Do you have a coat wardrobe? You may consider having a few coats in your wardrobe depending on the occasion: one for every day, another for shopping (you don't want to overheat), one waterproof, and so on. You don't need to buy them all at once, but over two or three years you can build a coat wardrobe. Don't be afraid to try new styles and colours! Happy coat shopping!

A SEASON OF COLOURFUL EQUILIBRIUM

According to Leatrice Eiseman of Pantone, designers are taking a modern twist on the traditional for spring 2014 by pairing soft pastels with vivid brights to create a colourful equilibrium. Inspired by a mixture of blooming flowers, travels abroad, and strong, confident women, designers are using colour to refresh, revive and defy conventional wisdom.

So, whether you make a statement wearing a head-to-toe colour, or bring different shades together, you'll be bang on trend. Having experienced the wettest winter in recent history, I think most people are feeling a bit blue at the moment! While Leatrice states that “This season, consumers are looking for a state of thoughtful, emotional and artistic equilibrium," the UK consumer probably needs a little bit of warming up! Luckily Spring’s palette includes freesia (yellow), celosia orange and cayenne (a soft red) which all work perfectly with blue.

You can choose from Placid Blue, Violet tulip to Dazzling Blue and make this your wardrobe staple. The more vibrant versions, as always, belong best to the Cools, Clears and Deeps but Warms, Softs and Lights will wear their blues in lighter and softer versions, the placid versions.

Add your warm tonalities of Fusion Coral, Azalea Pink, Pink Carnation and Sachet Pink and add a dash of sunny lime for good measure! Azalea pink evokes drama and glamour and is best suited to Cool colourings or Deep or Clear colourings with cool skin tones. Blush pink in a key piece or top-to-toe can be a statement look too. It is a great shade on all colouring (aka a universal colour!). The delicate pastel sachet pinks are made for the Lights but can be mixed with bolder pinks for those that can. A pastel pink in shiny fabric will turn a simple garment into something more special. Warms should go for more corally shades of pink (fusion coral) or head for or celosia orange! Peach Whip and Flamingo are also the delicious names of colours being bandied around... I am thinking of fun and sunshine for a change!

Radiant Orchid has been hailed the colour of the season and this sits somewhere between violet and pink so perfect for most colour types!

Are you ready for some sunshine? Then say hello to Yellow! It's a sunny, feel-good colour but you need to get just the right shade for you and have the confidence to wear it. Choose from the vibrant freesia or head towards precious amber for a richer tone. You can add this to pattern or go quite bold, but remember you will be seen, so choose your most flattering version.

And finally Spring wouldn’t be Spring without those lovely shades of green which remind us of everything fresh and full of life, saying that Hemlock is a fashion shade!

Colour Me Beautiful Products

To make it easier for you to purchase your "Colour Me Beautiful" products on-line, I have created a specific site which caters purely for these products.

Hopefully you find this an easy site to use and I welcome any feedback!

All other services you will find business as normal on my main website at www.looksmagic.biz

Here's the new link:

ColourMeBeautiful

Be Seen and Heard

As the recession filters more and more into every aspect of our daily lives, businesses are increasingly under more scutiny, as are you and your role.  Your profile and visibility become even more important, whether as a team member or individual pioneer.  Now it’s imperative to stand out and deliver.

My motto is “Be Seen and Heard”, set the scene, don’t follow the herd! This message is all about branding yourself or business in such a way that you have the impact and presence that attracts people to YOU! With every enterprise, this takes into account that you need to attract the appropriate business that benefits you and your customer/client base, it is a case of mutual attraction.

It is vital that you engage people in a positive and vibrant way. If you fail to recognise that it is human nature to identify with success rather than failure, your business is doomed! So, whether your business is booming or feeling the hideous drain of a dragging recession, you need to manage the perceptions that others have of you.

Look like a failure, you start to feel like a failure and the spiral will surely whirl downwards. Look great and feel great and suddenly you engage with a more positive energy which in turn attracts more visibility and engagement.

Whether on a more personal or professional level, you need to be seen, be consistent with who you or your brand is and make sure that people like what they see! This of course means that you have to be seen to be proud and enjoy what you are offering. One of the biggest lessons that it is worth reminding ourselves, is that if we don’t like ourselves, why would we expect anyone to like us. Put that into a business model and learn to love every aspect of your product, even if that means you. Then you have some chance of sharing this love with a world that needs you and what you have to offer!

Clare delivers “Be Seen and Heard”  life coaching and personal or business branding sessions so that you can develop an authentic, attractive and visible profile.

Choosing the right colours and styles creates your most flattering visual effect!

(Photo George Greene @phaseeight Truro)

The Demise of Shopping

Having celebrated that fact that I had filed my tax return , an annual dread and chore, I decided to enjoy the luxury of spending the afternoon in town, well the big City of Truro, that is! Living so close and shopping for clients, rather than myself, I spend surprisingly little time popping in and out just for a peek.

Luckily, I had the perfect excuse, as I was going round delivering invitations to our launch at Princes House Cornwall in Truro on 7th February. So, armed with a pile of invitations and reasonably comfy boots I headed into one of the few snowless towns in the UK!

Timed with yesterdays’s announcement ,on the news, that Christmas hadn’t heralded the shopping revival, as first predicted, this proved an enlightening experience!

Let me first take you back a bit! Do you remember what Christmas Shopping used to be like before the advent of the internet! Perhaps you remember it as I do, with the bustling excitement of anticipation, the cheerful lights, the buzz of frantic shoppers and the joy of playing and prodding and poking! Or, are you the person who remembers the cold, or freezing, conditions, shops packed full of coughing and sniffling and argumentative people, the battering of other combative shoppers armed with their loads and then the struggle of getting on the bus or carrying it all back to the car?

Of course, depending on which of these shoppers you are will have determined whether you spent your time on-line or out in the colourful, real, touchy feely world of shopping! I think you know which kind I am!

It is true to say that on-line shopping has taken on such a mantle that Parcelforce has increased its workload immensely, and, it would appear that, on the whole, people get what they expected and return no more of their internet purchases than their “real world” equivalents! By 2016, it is estimated that at least 25 percent of all shopping will be on-line, but talking to retailers and friends, I am surprised we haven’t already hit that figure!

So back to the lovely high street retailers! I am sure Truro reflects many towns across the country. I visited shops that are new, shops that have been around for 25 years and shops that have been family run for over a century and all of them were reflecting how quiet things are for them. I talked to people whose hours have been cut, who don’t know whether it is worth them reinvesting, who don’t know how to read shopping moods any more and who have changed their buying patterns in anticipation that they will have that vital something to offer! I even walked right past the recently closed Jessops whose curtains have already fallen which was the reality check and will be for all those retailers walking past the boarded up facade.

It is true to say, that some people seek out ideas on-line then head to the shops to feel and test the items, whilst others feel and test the items then head home looking for an internet bargain, at the expense of the retailer who has to account for stock.

The world is a changing place and judging by the feedback on the High Street, they are all feeling deflated, nervous and reticent to invest, which, of course, will not boost the economy!

What will life be like if we lose our towns to boarded up frontages, broken glass windows and tatty facades. Where will we meet and mooch? Shopping is a whole social experience of touching and feeling and conversation and aspiration and engagement and I, for one, hope that the “Real World” wins and that Truro and all the beautiful towns, villages and cities survive to enjoy a more vibrant future.

www.simonburtphotography.co.uk

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Come to the Grand Launch of Princes House Cornwall...my exciting new location!

Princes House, the Grade II listed Georgian townhouse on Princes Street, Truro is currently being renovated in time for a grand launch event on Thursday 7th February, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Princes House Cornwall will be host to the best Bridal and Image Services in the South West and that includes "Looks Magic", my image and colour services. The building is being transformed to bring out its character and beauty, and that’s exactly what we’re aiming to deliver for every bride; the real red carpet treatment. For anyone planning a wedding, Princes House Cornwall is THE place to start.

Of course, all my normal Image Services will also still be available! We're giving away some exclusive prizes at the launch, including a makeover, photoshoot,and vouchers so make sure you book your place to be in with a chance to win.

The launch is open to members of the public from 6pm on Thursday 7th February.

To book places phone 0844 272 0338 or email princeshousecornwall@gmail.com or let me know at clare@looksmagic.biz