Pattern Cutting Sunday 20th September: create paper pattern for a dress

If you fancy an idyllic Sunday 20th September creating a perfect paper pattern for a dress to fit and suit your figure type. We work in a magnificent location with lovely homemade lunch, ring Annie and book onto a course at the Quirky Workshops at Greystoke Cycle Cafe, Cumbria.   http://www.greystokecyclecafe.co.uk/textiles.htm…

There are spaces available so book early. Looking forward to seeing you there – you get a free copy of my E-book, ‘Be Remarkable’.

Lovely colourful shift dress

Straight fitted sleeveless dres

Add sleeves or jacket to make it more formal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you did one last year then come along and build your sleeve and collar patterns.  You can easily alter neckline, shape of dress, fabric weight and pattern hem length and width to create a multitude of styles.  Just change the fabric and change the look and season – so easy – make more roomy and add a turle neck for autumn.Hope to see some of you there.

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Shopping Mantra

 Remember the ‘Shopping Mantra’ – 6 C’s CHARACTER,  CLOTH,  COLOUR,  CUT,  COST and  CORRECT FIT don’t buy if you have to lie  – to yourself about any one of these. My Shopping Mantra, which has been very useful and saved women lots of money. See the Capsule Wardrobe tip sheet which goes alongside this. Plan your wardrobe, after a wardrobe session keep the list in your purse of what would actually extend the pieces you already have. Don’t go shopping when trying to cheer yourself up. Don’t buy too many disparate prints in clashing colours that need careful matching. Don’t buy too long, big and baggy unless you are very tall. Don’t buy unless it matches your capsule wardrobe basics (personalise this to your colourways). Don’t buy if the cost, cloth, character, colour, cut and size are incorrect for you – it has to be right in every way or it is a waste of money. Don’t buy on a whim, go think about it and then return, you may realise you have a top exactly like it or that you need another colour – or may need something else. DO: Use special events to purchase something you have always wanted and make sure it becomes your beloved well worn staple, rather than just adding to a diverse difficult to match collection. Decide what other hobby/interest makes you feel good as opposed to shopping to cheer yourself up, trying a new hair style or make-up look, hair accessories or a lovely magazine to give you ideas for revamping or reusing or to help you update your look with a few accessories. Write a list of things that make you feel happy and use them as a means of focusing your shopping trips or afternoons off. Eg:- spend some of your usual shopping time meeting for coffee with friends you rarely see. Try to be more creative with the clothes you already have.  Find a good dressmaker to alter previous expensive purchases and update them. DO BUY THOUGHTFULLY AND NOT TOO OFTEN SO THAT YOU DON’T FEEL GUILTY AS THESE ARE THE PURCHASES THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD.  Remember the ‘Shopping Mantra’ CHARACTER,  CLOTH,  COLOUR,  CUT,  COST and  CORRECT FIT don’t buy if you have to lie  – to yourself about any one of these.    

Urban v. Haute Couture

Interesting Street Style from Asia ht.tp://www.streetstylenews.com/res/navbar10/navbarb.php?ac=to&ul=http://on.wsj.com/1fYKHzs&sn=WSJ%20SceneStyle%20Asia  the men seem to do it well, see below kinda cute.  As for Paris Fashion week, the designers seem to be showing a lot of space age metallic cloth and all in ones, that foil coated look is tricky to wear – I think the east seem to have a very cool take on relaxed urban future and ladylike street style that works in the every day.  The leather jackets and garments do futuristic better for me that lame and metallic fibres – its much more haute couture than urban.

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Young and relaxed @ Micheal Kors

The leather weather has arrived, this jacket is purchased from Balenciaga.

STYLE CLUB

Click here for the poster advert

‘Be Remarkable: Love your figure type’.

As I publish my first Style book I am also advertising the ‘Launch of the Style Club’ 3 week blocks at the Kirkgate Arts Centre, Cockermouth, CA13 9PJ   itbegins Wed 19th Sept 5.30-7.30pm please pass on as I know lots of folk who are interested in style, ‘Young /Old’  ‘Male/ Female’  the knowledge they get is adaptable to their situation.  It is all about being stylish with what you have and just forming a sensible capsule wardrobe and gradually updating as you go.  As people gain the  fashion designer’s knowledge at a fraction of the cost of private sessions, they gain in confidence in order to spend more wisely. There will be a follow up in November for 3 weeks on ‘Colour and Style’.  These sessions will be useful to fully understand your complexion, colour mixing and ways to wear the things that aren’t your best colour but you love them!

Hope to see you there…

Holiday packing

you can never have too many sandals 🙂 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Summer Holiday Packing

Are you like me – do you take too much? End up with a strained back from pulling your case in and out of cars. We usually do not wear it all, so I have devised a list to help, assuming you are able to rinse through the odd item, this list is good for a two week beach holiday.
Leave some space for the essentials – sun lotion and a kindle or Ipad instead of all those books! – Here are my tips for what to take in your suitcase this summer…

1 pair linen or cotton trousers (day or evening)
1 pair of comfy jeans
3 skirts (or shorts even just to keep fit or cool on the beach – not for evening wear unless under 35, unless superfit)
2 going out tops
2 dresses  (day to evening)
Selection of 5 plain vest or T-tops for day and evening
1 cardigan and 1 wrap
2 bikinis
1 sarong (to match)
1 beach towel
1 evening bag
1 pair of comfy all purpose  flip flops for day and evening
1 pair of walking shoes
1 pair of comfy wedge sandals  for evening wear mostly
1 beach bag & a sun hat
+ sunnies of course.
…and some more tips below…

Carefully roll all your clothes into sausages rather than folding as this way they arrive uncreased. Wear jeans and walking shoes (converse or similar) to travel through british weather. and wear jeans for nights out with strappy top and wedge heels.

Pack two dresses –  that work for both day and evening. Add wedges and a clutch bag for drinks and flip-flops and a sun hat for gallery/shopping and lunch.

Match white t-shirt with solid bold colour on bottom half to match flips and update your summer wardrobe..

Don’t pack clothes that are too tight (make one of them a loose colourful kaftan) as you need room to eat lovely food!

Have fun 🙂

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• Summer footwear for men – get a pair you’ll wear again and again (savingsavvy.com)