Winter Warmers!

Now the weather has turned really cold I dread walking anywhere that involves exposing myself to the elements. Every winter I suffer not only with cold feet and hands, but with awful earache. It is the earache that I loathe the most, and so each winter I buy myself a new selection of trendy hats and scarves to keep my ears and head warm, often to no avail.

Why? Because I consider how good I look in them when buying, rather than how practical they are! So this year I decided I wasn't going to make the same mistake again. I bought this great woollen hat and scarf from Sweat Betty's and I love them! I even thought I looked reasonable in them until Tilly told me I looked "cool like Lloyd Daniels"! Is Lloyd Daniels cool? I have to question that statement!

Practice what I preach!

I have recently undertaken several wardrobe edits and this has prompted me to have another look at my own. As soon as the weather turns cold I usually move my summer wardrobe out and go through my winter clothes, but this year I must have omitted my jumpers and having preached about the shelf life of clothes to others need to take heed!

There are certain makes of cashmere that are destined to last a life time and there are others which are meant to last only a season! I don't need to name names but the brands that sell cheap cashmere are not intended to last forever. They tend to loose shape and/or bobble and this really isn't a good look. So when you next put on a wool or cashmere jumper, look at the state of it. If there are any small holes, bobbles galore or it looks shapeless then recycle it! Estimate your value per wear and I think you will find that you have had your wear out of it especially if it is one of the cheaper brands.

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I have several M&S Autograph cashmere jumpers from last year which still look ok but a cardigan that I wore to death needs to rest in peace now! The only problem is I can't find another one in the same style or colour and this peeves me! So I have learnt a lesson from all this. Next time I find a cheap cashmere top that looks great on me and ticks all my boxes, I will buy two of them, that is unless I can persuade my husband to let me shop in Brora!

Optical illusions!

For the past three days I have done three styling consultations and wardrobe edits, in and around London and Surrey. On these working days, I have made an effort and thought about what I was going to wear, which is unusual for me as I like to wake up and decide what I fancy wearing!

This faithful grey dress ticks all the boxes and I am certainly getting my value per wear out of it. Why you ask yourself? Well, styling is all about understanding your body proportions and body shape, and dressing accordingly. For someone like myself who is contoured on both the top and lower half, and who has shorter legs than body, this dress is perfect.

Firstly, the fabric follows my natural lines and skims over my contours without emphasising any unsightly bulges. Secondly it gives the illusion that my legs continue all the way up to the waist band, which I can promise you they do not!! Remember high-waisted skirts and dresses are great at deceiving the general public on leg length!

I can also change the colour of the camisole worn underneath to a purple or pink, depending on my mood and what look I want to give. Hels thank you very much for forcing me to go into that shop!!

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Jumper Dresses!

Weird isn't it how things always come back into fashion? I remember the jumper dress craze first time around, in the eighties, and I loved them! I used to wear them with flat boots and thought I looked so grown up. I was an eighteen year old trying to emulate a sophisticated woman. I did say trying, no-one said I actually looked like one!

Today, I am a 42 year old woman desperately trying not to look my age, but at the same time trying not to look like mutton! Jumper dresses to me are not about sophistication and style, but about comfort and warmth. They are easy to wear and a quick throw on. And I think therein lies the problem.

This morning when I put my new one on I wasn't convinced, so I tried it with a belt (too embarrassed to post photo), and then without a belt, before finally opting for the without look. What a "b@**$%" I looked (as my mother would say) I looked more like a granny than gorgeous anything, which was not the look I was aiming for!

Jumper dresses might have been the epitome of chic when I was younger but now they really should only be worn to stay snug and warm in the comfort of my own home!

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Priscilla Queen of the Desert!

While I have been on house arrest, following my tonsillectomy, I have had a lot of me-time. I have had time to do all those things that I have been meaning to and never got around to, like tidying out my office and having false eyelashes applied! As some of you will know I have long admired the semi-permanent eyelashes and promised myself I would treat myself when I had time, and yesterday the time had finally arrived.

A very nice and extremely competent beautician came to my house to apply the false lashes, which I cannot tell you how excited I was about having. The biggest problem was that she asked me what I wanted, and I didn't know having never even worn stick on eyelashes before. There are apparently several different looks, which I wasn't aware of! I didn't do my research as well as I should have done, because in typical 'Rachel-style' enthusiasm, had rushed into this with minimal thought.

Anyway to cut a long story short I went for the glamourous look, which I don't think is me, I think I resemble Priscilla Queen of the Desert more than Bridget Bardot. Feel free to judge for yourself....

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Next time she comes round, and there will be a next time, I will opt for a more natural look and will research the look I want before hand!

Bare legs and boots!

One of my favourite looks of the moment is the bare legs and boots combo, but am I the only person that thinks this look is slightly impractical for British shores? There is the small necessity of having tanned legs which, unless we are lucky enough to have naturally or have only just returned from sunny climates or are still using our 'St Tropez', we might not have. But more importantly for myself, who tries to work comfort around style, there is the obvious need to be warm!

The only other option I considered was wearing a pair of tan coloured tights, which would have to be removed prior to my husband seeing me in the bedroom, as they are certainly passion killers as far as I am concerned! I know stockings could be an option as long as the skirt/dress isn't too short.

After much deliberating and mirror assessment, I ditched the bare legs/boots and the tanned tights/legs combo and went for the black opaques and boots look instead, which I think still looks good, hides a multitude of sins and may be more age appropriate for a 41 year old!! PS Please forgive the background for the photo definitely not the most glamourous!

www.stylematters.org.uk