do you love it or loathe it?

You'll find few colours as divisive as pink. It's loathed as much as it is loved. It's been a colour that has been on trend for a number of seasons now and doesn't show any sign of going away for AW16. This season the big fashion houses sent it down the catwalks; Balmain, Preen and Chanel being at the forefront.

Although it's typically girly, there are plenty of pink tones out there that don't feel sickly sweet and crucially come in more grown-up silhouettes. There is definately a place in my wardrobe for pinks, the shades of pink that are in my Winter colour palette - Deep hot pink and Icy pink, two different ends of the pink colour spectrum. This season I'm looking for the paler more icy pink to add into my Autumn wardrobe that will sit with navy, burgundy and grey. For more pink styling inspiration following my pinterest board - pink reigns in AW16

In the coming months the high street will be awash with pink. Marks and Spencer have done a gorgeous pair of satin trousers that would suit all ages, Finery London's folded a-line skirt is for the brave and the beautiful, while River Island, Warehouse and Boden all have pink coats that are boyish in shape. But if you are new to pink then start off with the basics, such as a pair of pink shoes worn with skinny denim jeans or a tomboyish pink sweater. The item for me is the must-have pink coat, but with so many to choose from I'm in danger of having a sugary sweet powdery pink overload!

So perhaps it's time to channel your inner girl and give into the deliciously bubblegumness of the cool-girl pink this season. It's still going to be a hit for SS17, so invest now. Your wardrobe will thank you for it, so gone on...I dare you!

What to buy now in pink

1.  Jagger Coat - Sezane £250

2. Belshaw fold A-line skirt - Finery London £75

3. Limited Edition mohair jumper - Zara £59.99

4. Caged flats in leather - J Crew £168.00

5. Cedar street Magnolia cross body bag - Kate Spade £178.00

Edits guide on how to look stylish for a weekend away

edits styling notes

A quick getaway no longer means just tossing a couple of items in a bag anymore and jumping on a plane. Packing for a short trip just might be more difficult than packing for a longer one because you need to be prepared to have clothing and shoes for both day and night. Trying to fit everything you need into a small suitcase can be quite a challenge - unless you know what to pack.

My hubby and I are off for our first mini break in years and are getting on a plane with carry on, so perfect packing is essential. Having not packed for just myself and no kids for a number of years it's got me thinking about what to pop into my bag. So I thought it would be best to come up with a strategy before I started tossing clothes into my mini case!

Here are my strategic packing rules for a mini break -

• Make sure you have a good idea of what you'll be planning on doing throughout the break so that you know the appropriate clothing to bring. If you're spending a weekend in the country, you probably won't need a fancy dress and dancing shoes. Likewise, if you're going to spend the bulk of your time at the beach or lounging poolside, you probably won't need to bring long trousers. Checking out the weather beforehand is also a must!

• One key idea to rememberis to try to take clothes that can do double duty, especially shoes. Shoes can be heavy and bulky, so it's good to take as few pairs as possible. Take one pair that can go from day to night and a second pair that you can use as slippers, like flip flops. Because they're flat, they'll pack nicely, and you'll still look stylish any time of the day.

• The name of the game for clothing is versatility. Look for clothes in your wardrobe that can do double duty by pairing in different ways. It also helps to have clothes that can be dressed up or down. A pair of basic black trousers or jeans can be the base for many kinds of tops, for example. You can also change your look just by changing your jewellery. Packing a few select pieces of jewellery can help change your look, which can be important if you're wearing the same outfit twice.
• Learn to pare down the amount of items you need for your daily beauty regime to just the essentials you'll need over the span of two nights. Also be sure to pack mini-bottles of your beauty products. They'll not only fit better into a small bag, but they'll get through security at the airport.

I am hoping these hard-fast rules will help me when packing in the 20mins I have inbetween school runs, washing, working, cooking etc etc! Oh well, who doesn't want to go shopping on a mini break anyway?!!

Bon Voyage! x

Edits guide on how to dress as you get older

edits styling tips

The pursuit of individual and personal style becomes much more important as you get older. But as you get older your style changes less. What changes is your outlook on life and your opinion on style and fashion.

As you get older you care more about quality over quantity. You’re looking for something that has a little bit of longevity – not just in terms of style but also physically lasting a little bit longer. The key is to be true to yourself and confident about what you like. It’s not necessarily about what’s in fashion, it’s what you love for you and your style. Perhaps you have never been comfortable in structured clothes, for example, so now is the time to accept that. Perhaps you can’t wear high heels because you can’t walk fast enough in them, so wear flats all the time.

Getting the classic's right is a simple approach to your wardrobe but one that works. If you start with a very classic approach to your clothes, you can add anything flamboyant to that. If you start the other way round, it’s much harder to tone it down afterwards. Start with the boring bit, then add to make it feel more relevant to what is going on in fashion.

Women who dress and age well.

A camel coat is a true wardrobe classic regardless of season or trends. The same with a V-neck jumper and a white cotton shirt. It’s that simple approach to fashion that allows you to dress it up as much as you want, or dress it down. It still leaves a lot of it up to you. But women are loving fashion at all ages now, it’s cross-generational. Think of how jeans have become the norm. Women are wearing jeans into their seventies but their mother's before them would never have worn them. Now you can wear leopard print when you’re sixty but it doesn’t mean you look like Bet Lynch– unless you want to. And if you want to wear sequins, you can wear sequins.

Of course there are still compromises to be made the older we get. But as long as you retain your style personality, just move it on so it becomes more relevant to the age you are.

If you need a helping hand to find your style then call me now for a free consultation.

currently craving...my autumn wishlist

Autumn is just around the corner and with it comes a host of covetable new trends. Knowing where to start with your new-season wardrobe can be a daunting task.

It's a tricky time for shopping right now. Stores are full of shiny new Autumn stock waiting to be brought, whilst we languish in the last days of Summer with Winter coats firmly at the back of our minds. It is however, the perfect time to sit back and assess how your Autumn wardrobe is looking. Look for the gaps in your wardrobe and be a 'woman with a plan' with your shopping list. 

Hard to believe how fast summer has flown by once again, but Autumn is on its way. I'm definitely more in favour of Autumn/Winter than Spring/Summer. I'm craving sweaters, coats and jeans, because cooler temperatures mean layering. And layering means outfits with more textures, more colors and sometimes, a little more personality.

At present, I have plenty of things on my radar that I am lusting after, all currently investment pieces that will see me through this season and the next. Here are the 5 items on my Autumn wishlist to give you some inspiration-

1. A pink coat -

Whistles Penny Double Breasted coat - £350.00

2. Leather leggings -

Hush Leather leggings - £330

3. Leopard print boots -

Air & Grace London Jak & Jil leopard ankle boots - £175.00

4. Floral Printed Midi dress -

Zara floral midi devore dress - £89.99

5. Mini coloured cross body bag -

JCrew signet leather bag in red - £128.00