Category Archives: Personal Style

Animal print, Autumn Winter Style, Checks, Pattern, Personal Style

The new Autumn/Winter 2018 Trends: Go wild! Animal prints and checks enjoy a renaissance for the new season

As much as I’ve enjoyed such a glorious long, hot Summer, I’m actually pretty pleased that Autumn is finally showing its face. This is undeniably my favourite season! I’m so relieved to be waving goodbye to those hot humid nights of precious little or no sleep, and welcoming the crisp mornings, dew on the grass, and piles of crunchy golden leaves to stomp through.

Every change of season heralds a new range of fashion collections, and as a personal stylist and image consultant that sets my trend-spotting antenna buzzing! And the new Autumn/Winter 2018 season has not disappointed. I’m thrilled that prints have remained firmly on the menu in just about every couture collection doing the rounds of the catwalk shows.

If you attended one of my Spring/Summer styling sessions, you will remember my advice on how to wear patterns. Anyonecan wear a pattern, you just need to choose carefully according to your shape and style personality.

This Autumn you will see patterns wherever you look, so if its not something you would ordinarily consider I encourage you to think about it now. Some of the new trends are already hitting the High Street, and the two main patterns I want to highlight are animal printand checks.

Give a woman the right lipstick and she can conquer the world

And if that woman happens to be wearing red lipstick, then she is saying “I’m a woman in control”!

As a styling and makeup consultant I regularly get asked for tips on wearing red lipstick. Usually this is because while most ladies would love to be able to wear red lipstick when they feel like it, they don’t know how to go about finding the right one.

So why wear red lipstick?

The colour red has so many meanings – danger, stop, energy, strength, power, passion, desire, love – and all those meanings practically scream the same message:-

Look at this! Pay attention! Don’t look away!

Red lips are a definitive and perennial staple of women’s beauty regimes for a very good reason. It’s the look that symbolises “classic” beauty. Think of all those iconic women whose signature look is red lipstick – everyone from Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow to the current stars of stage and screen like Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson. There isn’t one that doesn’t reach for a slick of red lipstick when they want to make a statement. It’s just one of the ways they portray their undeniable feminine power and self-possession.

When I see a woman wearing red lipstick I immediately think “this woman is confident and in total control”. Red lipstick is a source of strength. When you put it on you immediately feel more poised, more self-assured and empowered. It draws attention to your mouth and – subsequently – the words that come out of it. Red lipstick is all about asserting yourself. I often reach for a slick of red lips on days when I need a boost, it’s my own personal mood changer.

Why are some people scared of wearing red lipstick?

The Not-So-Quiet Colour Revolution for Autumn Winter ‘17

One of the best things about being a personal image consultant – apart from meeting my lovely clients of course – is that a couple of times a year I get to preview the upcoming fashion trends. I go to catwalk shows with my Colour Me Beautiful colleagues, try out the latest wardrobe styles, accessories and make-up, get up close and personal with gorgeous new merchandise and compare notes with other expert personal stylists. I love my job!

But while I’d love to tell you that I’m hanging out with models, deisgners or even shopping all day, what I’m actually doing is studying the trends. The core part of my job is to pick out the key looks and translate them into what works for ordinary people, like you and me, taking into consideration our colouring, shape, style personality and lifestyle.

So let’s start with the colours for the AW ‘17 season

There’s lots of talk of the “big” colours for this year, with red being at the top of every designer’s list. Actually, it’s not just at the top of the list: it’s standing in four-inch stiletto heels, pinning the rest of the list down, adding another coat of lippy and shouting “Look at meeeee!”

Red is a great colour, anyone can wear it, and personally I love a bit of red to brighten up an outfit, even if it’s just some red lipstick. It can lift me up, boost my confidence and send me out into the world with a big, self-assured smile.

But I realise red isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some women just don’t feel right in red and if this is you then there’s no need to feel left out or let down. Because standing next to Red, holding her jacket and egging her on is…… (drum roll) …. Navy!

What’s your scarf style?

One of the things we love most about the colder months here at colour me beautiful is that it gives us lots of opportunities to accessorise! Specifically by adding a colourful scarf to our outfit.

Tips to transform your personal style

As fashion month gets into full swing around the world and Summer draws to an end, many of us will be thinking about our Autumn/Winter wardrobes.

The start of a new season is the perfect time to take a step back and review your own personal style. We can all get stuck in a rut, or style of dressing that almost becomes like a ‘uniform’ which we end up wearing day in, day out. However, with a few simple steps you can transform your personal style to leave you looking and feeling refreshed for the months ahead!

Read morePosted by asvasv on 16/09/2016No Comments