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Natalie Gibson • 1 November 2020

Here we go again .........

With last nights news of another lock down, it's made me think about how people are going to cope 2nd time around.


The first lock down was alien to us wasn't it, we'd never heard anything like it, it felt like we were entering an apocalypse. There was homeschooling (rolls eyes to the back of my head), Joe Wicks every morning (just watching him counted right?), getting glammed up for the weekly food shop or to take the bins out, and the baking......every other day there was a new, wonderful creation, I'm still paying for that now with my waistline. But in a funny kind of way, to me it was a bit like the start of an adventure, we had it covered. I was one of the fortunate ones, I appreciate that. Don't get me wrong I'd had enough as the months went on and was craving some kind of normality, but on the whole I did ok with it.


But this time around it feels a little different. I guess because I know what's coming. We wont have glorious weather to enjoy in our gardens, it wont be new and dare I say it exciting, we wont be baking up a storm everyday as we know the consequences, and Joe Wicks who??


Everyone had and will have different experiences when it comes to lock down, I get that . Some will cope ok, others not so much. Some will have a house full of noise every day, for others it will be deathly silent. I think the one thing we all have in common is that we can agree it's pretty rubbish. My heart goes out to all the small local businesses that were just finding their feet again after a ghastly year, only to be back to square one, sadly many will not make it through this 2nd period. My heart goes out to anyone that doesn't have anyone to share lock down with. My heart goes out to anyone that has been directly affected by COVID, that has and will lose loved ones.


So what do we do? Well to start with I think we need to check we are all ok. It's ok to not be ok. Check in with any friends and family that are on their own, write letters, send emails, pick up the phone, be kind; remember that hashtag from the beginning of the year? Next lets try and make the most of this time wherever possible, learn something new, there are some great online courses around whether it be learning to make Christmas wreaths, jewellery, yoga, how to apply makeup, you name it there is a course out there with your name on it. New Skills Academy have some great ones, very reasonably priced, and all online. Read some books, meditate, clean out your wardrobe, write down your own affirmations, pick up a paintbrush and try your hand at painting, you don't have to be the next Monet this is for YOU and you only.


Another thing I think we should all be doing is supporting local businesses wherever possible. Get your Christmas shopping done, I know this Christmas is likely to be very different from any we have ever experienced before, but it will still be going ahead lock down or no lock down. A lot of Christmas markets have gone virtual this year, how fantastic that people are getting themselves out there showcasing their wonderful businesses and creations. Find one near you and try and purchase any gifts from these local sellers. They say every time you buy from a local business an actual person does a happy dance, I love that and believe it to be very true! 

I wrote a blog a few months ago about coming out of lock down and what to wear back in the real world. It was tongue in cheek as obviously there are more important things to worry about, but there is a bit of seriousness to it. You see what we wear can affect our mood. Pop some statement earrings on or a sequin blouse and you feel like you can take on the world. Try it, it works, it can lift your spirits if you are having a bit of a blue day. One day during our last lock down we decided to take a day off from homeschooling and have our very own party, the dress code was sequins and butterfly face paint, my 5 year old had a blast, as did I. Sometimes you just have to forget about whats going on in the outside world, don your sparkliest of sequins and dance to girls just wanna have fun around your living room!

The single most important thing is to make sure you look after yourself, your mental health goes above anything else, there are people to talk to if you need to, don't ever suffer in silence.

So will you be trying your hand to anything new this time around?

Capsule Wardrobe...are you in or out?

by Natalie Gibson • 29 November 2020
Do you ever open up your wardrobe, bursting at the seams and just feel like collapsing into a heap on the floor as you have nothing to wear? Do you feel a tad silly having those words come out of your mouth when your partner simply replies with a roll of the eye? Yep, don't worry you are not alone, we all do it.

Sustainable fashion......what's it all about?

by Natalie Gibson • 15 November 2020
This is a phrase that is thrown around a lot right now, but do we know what it really means? Do we know how to apply sustainability to our wardrobes? What difference does it make what's in our wardrobes? There’s a few terms we should be familiar with when thinking about sustainable fashion. Eco-fashion – how our wardrobes impact the environment. Slow fashion – this is where we need to slow down on following trends! The average piece of clothing is worn just 14 times, so it’s time we increased the longevity of what we wear. Ethical fashion – the ethical treatment, pay and occupational health standards of garment workers, and the effects it has on their community. Sustainable fashion – the umbrella term for all of the above! Generally sustainable fashion is all about choices, your choices. If you want to start making a difference there are lots of things you can do. Step 1 – Have a wardrobe de-clutter. Go through your wardrobe and be ruthless! If you have items in your wardrobe that you don’t wear because they don’t fit then why are they still there? I know, I know we tell ourselves that we will lose weight and that we will fit back into them at some point, but is this a realistic thought? Yes of course we can lose weight, but we need to ask ourselves if we are going to do anything about losing said weight! Some items of clothing can actually leave us feeling a bit rubbish knowing we can’t squeeze into them, get rid of that negativity, our wardrobes should be places full of joy, no room for negativity! Some items of clothing can be adapted to new pieces, a dress can be transformed into a top for example, you don't need to be a whiz on a sewing machine to be able to do this, it's just about thinking outside of the box. Once you have had a good de-clutter then make sure you dispose of all your surplus items in the right way. First have you got any friends that you can gift them to? If not there are plenty of ways to sell your unwanted clothing online allowing others to enjoy them and you to earn a bit of cash. There are of course numerous charities that are always grateful for items. Whatever way you choose to dispose of them or re-use them is great, just make sure they do not end up in landfill. It is never OK to simply throw clothes in the bin, they would be better to use as a cleaning cloth if nothing else!

I have a confession to make........

by Natalie Gibson • 18 October 2020
I have a confession to make.....you may think of me differently after hearing it, but you should know I’m still the same person. Ok here it goes.....I love a double denim combination, wow that feels good! Seriously though I think double denim can look super stylish when done correctly. Think back to Britney and Justin in the 90’s, don’t ever try to replicate that look and you will be fine! I personally like to go all out with a dark blue denim shirt, buttons done up all the way, with matching skinny jeans, but if you don’t feel that’s for you there are actually many ways you can style this look. First you can try different contrasts with denim so perhaps go for black denim jeans with a dark blue denim shirt or jacket. If your not sure about 2 denim pieces why not try a jumpsuit or boiler suit, a trend that isn’t going anywhere fast, and once you get the toilet situation down they are actually really very comfortable! If you are still not convinced why not match a denim look headband to your denim shirt, a small step but noticeable.

A girl can never have enough jewellery

by Natalie Gibson • 5 October 2020
Accessories can make or break any outfit-true story. Throw on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, well that's just fine but add a pair of huge fabulous statement earrings and you have just stepped into the style zone. There are lots of tips to dress for your shape, for example a classic triangle shape should try and avoid long necklaces that end at the hips as it will draw the eye to that area, but you know what, I say if you love it and most importantly feel comfortable in it go for it, the world is not going to suddenly end! The most stylish thing anyone can wear is confidence and if you have that then you have nailed the art of style. If your not really an accessories gal, try something simple like a sparkly brooch on your jacket. So whether you enjoy earrings in the shape of ice lollies or a classic pearl necklace-get those accessories out, it will give your outfit a completely new dimension. Double layer rubber necklace, Oliver Bonas, £29.99. Bee bug brooch, M&S, £12.50. Yellow beaded necklace Wallis £12. Red polka dot hair band, Claire’s, £3.50. Blue bead bracelet, Accessorize, £7. Flower statement earrings, Zara, £15. Pearl circle earrings, Accessorize, £8.

How young is too young?

by Natalie Gibson • 5 October 2020
I've always loved fashion and dressing up, from an early age I remember having a dress up box, not filled with princess dresses or tutus, but a huge cardboard box with a pair of heels and wonderful skirts, dresses and tops, courtesy of my mum. All had an 80's vibe, well it was after all the 80's. It was wonderful. I now have a daughter. She's 5. She has a dress up rail filled with Elsa and Anna dresses-she really wont let it go no matter how many times the song tells her to. If I put on a dress or a splash of red lipstick my shadow wants exactly the same, she'll go to her own wardrobe and pick something out she'll think is suitable for the day ahead, of course it rarely is, but I love it, she's finding her feet and expressing her personality and I wouldn't have it any other way. But when she's re-enacting mummy putting her make up on it does sometimes make me wonder how young is too young? Children are like sponges we all know that, so innocent and so impressionable. At 5 years old surely it's not an issue yet-right? Kids will be kids they love to dress up and have fun, but when do we step into the dangerous territory of body issues and hang ups? I think actually it can start as early as hearing that first negative comment about a body, hearing that mummy or daddy are on strict diets, catching a glimpse of mummy pulling at her stomach and sighing with disappointment. When I trained to become a Style Coach we spoke about how clothes can represent you as a person, that can sound very materialistic cant it, I don't necessarily like that its true, but it is true. A person can make up an opinion of you after just 3 seconds of meeting you, that means that they have judged you on your appearance, that's a bit rubbish isn't it, but its human nature and something we all do whether we care to admit it or not. We know that what we wear for a job interview for example is important. If we are having a totally rubbish day and go out in our joggers with bleach stains on from cleaning the bathroom, hair scraped back we are telling people subconsciously that we perhaps don't really care about ourselves, what we wear can emulate a perception of us. We live in a society that is full of contradictions, we are told as women to be who we want to be, express ourselves however we want, our bodies are just that, our bodies and we can do what we want with them, but we mustn't wear anything too revealing as we could be giving off the wrong impression. It's all very confusing for adults let alone children, So what do we do? I think all we can do is to teach our children, and those children in our lives to be kind, to be kind to anyone who looks a little different, different is great! To embrace their bodies, they are pretty damn special you know. To follow our hearts and express ourselves, and most importantly take ownership of our choices. Ultimately I will be telling my daughter to 'just do you darling' I have been thinking a lot lately about style services for teenagers, but it fills me with both excitement and anxiousness. Our body shapes are important for styling, only in the sense that it can help us dress well and flatter our wonderful curves, that is the only time a body shape is important. I don't feel I'd ever like to analysise a teenagers body shape, of course not all bodies are fully developed until late teenage years, but I'm thinking more from the aspect of creating insecurities that might not have been there to start with. A colour analysis, style personality analysis and tips and advice on styling would be great for some girls, I personally would have loved it at that age, but its a very tricky area. So let me know what you think - how young is too young?

Styling after lockdown

by Natalie Gibson • 25 June 2020
✱✱Warning Warning✱✱ the end of lockdown is imminent and soon we will have to grace the outside world, but one thing......what do we wear!! Ok, ok, that's a tad dramatic, there are of course far more superior problems in the world, and actually we still have a long way to go before our lives get back to 'normal' whatever that may mean now, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for many lucky ones and gradually restrictions are being lifted. So where does that leave us? A little anxious perhaps about entering the big wide world again when we have been in our own little bubbles for the last few months? Excited to get back out there and start doing the simple things we took for granted previously? Overjoyed at the thought of having a little 'me' time once partners and kids have been packed off back to work and school? Or overjoyed at being able to get back to socialising and having that human contact after what have been a terribly lonely few months? All I know is we have all experienced our own 'journeys' over these last few months, some more enjoyable than others, but hopefully we have all had time to reflect and learn a little more about ourselves. But...... how do we transition from our 'house' clothes to something, anything that is classed as presentable?! For the first month in our house I was perfectly content in joggers (Karl Lagerfeld would be turning in his grave!) and slouchy tops, well I was home-schooling and I absolutely had to be comfortable right?? This was my lovely cosy, comfy bubble for some time, but gradually I found myself longing for some colour, some texture and heck some style! So I snapped myself out of it and started wearing my accessories or a splash of my signatory red lipstick, I didn't care that I wasn't going to be seeing anyone, it made me feel better and that is what styling is all about. So I put it to you, for the last phase of lockdown (hopefully) why not start trying new things, pushing your boundaries and stepping out of your comfort zone. What a perfect opportunity to do so, I know it can be daunting trying anything new but why not try a huge pair of statement earrings or a splash of bright lippie or a beautiful big bright bow in your hair, I guarantee it makes the housework feel so much more bearable! Once you get used to wearing these fabulous pieces at home, and I promise it doesn't take long, start venturing out with them, a lovely walk in the sunshine or a trip to the supermarket, gradually these pieces will become part of your everyday life and feel like second nature. So try it, what have you got to loose?
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