New year, new wardrobe… here’s where to get it!
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By Suzi Dixon
As January payday (finally) approaches, I’ve only got one new year’s resolution left — new year, new wardrobe!
Yes, it’s the perfect time for a bit of wardrobe building, with vouchers to spend, sales to rifle through and fabulous net voucher codes encouraging us to celebrate the new year with a spot of retail therapy.
But don’t waste your time on faddy, last-season clothes — that £3 faux snakeskin, vinyl top may seem like a bargain, but it’s not a bargain if you never wear it… Instead, take your lead from the spring/summer 2010 catwalk shows and buy some trend-led lovelies to see you right through to summer.
Here’s what you should look for:
NUDES
The outlook for spring is pretty pastel, with taupe, fawn, rose and nude coloured classic pieces storming the catwalk.
Perfect for softening your work wardrobe or look for crochet, lace, ruffled or embroidered numbers to rock two trends in one by night.
Team with black opaque tights til the temperature warms and you can unleash your fake-tanned pins.
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Lace bandeau dress, £25, Boohoo.com
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Ruffled petal dress, £175, Forever Unique
EMBELLISHED
Evolving from last year’s luxe look, embellished tops and dresses will make you feel red-carpet fresh.
Buy for a party and dress up with a black mini, wine-coloured heels and clutch — dress down with a grey boyfriend cardie and jeggings for at-home glamour.
Into spring, team with a cropped denim jacket or cream waistcoat.
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Oasis Sequin Embellished Vest Top,£10, John Lewis sale
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Khaki embellished top, £28, Dorothy Perkins
SUEDE
Suede is the fabric of choice for the coming year — a suede dress works day-to-night, while grey or fawn suede trousers can revolutionise your work wardrobe and make a change from boring black.
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Suede and leather dress, £156, ASOS
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Suede and leather shift dress, £299, Planet at Debenhams
TWEED
The country look is another Spring staple and a tweed blazer will see you through those “is it warm enough to go coat-less?” months. Or opt for a tweed handbag or clutch for just a hint of country glamour.
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DaKine Maria tweed handbag, £29.69, Filarinskis
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Cypress bag, £50, Ollie & Nic
WELLIES
Wellies make fab weekend wear — on the streets of New York, they are the IT girls choice for comfy footwear. They’ll also come in handy when festival season starts in June!
Stay girly by opting for coloured or patterned wellies.
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Blue and white spot wellies, £12, Tu at Sainsburys
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Raindrop Wellington Boots, £60, Scholl
METALLIC GREEN NAILS
The iconic green Chanel nail polish is so sought after, it’s changing hands on eBay for up to £100! There’s no need for such a guilt-inducing splurge, however — many budget nail varnishes have fantastic staying power.
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Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish Green with Envy, £3.49, Boots
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Biosculpture Manicure in Emerald Touch (lasts three weeks), £35, Body Centre Bristol
HAIR
In line with the romantic tresses gracing the catwalk, hair gets big, bouncy and beautiful this summer.
Stuart Holmes, who runs a busy salon and spa in Cheltenham, says: “All women can get volume into their hair, however fine.
“The key is to use the right products. Wash and condition with a thickening shampoo then use a primer or styling spray to give your blowdry longer-lasting hold.
“Lift hair at the roots as you dry, using a round ceramic brush, then shake out and set with hairspray.”
Think blowdries are a luxury you can’t afford? Think again! Stuart’s salon offers a free blowdry with all facials, currently just £30 – call 01242 220001. See Stuart’s Facebook page for a £10 off voucher.
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Bumble & bumble thickening shampoo, £4.77
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Redken Bodyfull Plump Treat, £11.81
GIFTS
The savvy shopper knows online stores are still the best place to find bargains!
Here are our top three picks for Valentine’s, Mother’s Day and Easter…
Entrepreneur Michelle Withers has really found her niche with Three Little Bears. Both online and offline, with a store in Leicester, Three Little Bears stocks popular collectables including Me To You, Spaceform, Forever Friends, Shearer Candles, Eeyore’s Little Moments, Teddy Bigfoot, My Blue Nose Friends and Microwave Bears. Me To You gifts and Shearer Candles are sure to be big sellers this time of year.
www.giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk
Luxe gift retailer GWAG gives mum-trepreneurs and small businesses the chance to showcase their wares online, helping them to grow their business through virtual sales and joint marketing projects. Check out the fabulous gifts from Lily & Lime, Starlet Jewellery, Izzi Bags and others.
TreatHer.com and TreatHim.com are both Aladin’s Cave-style treats, from jewellery to chocolates, hampers and homeware. We particularly love the Gift Zones, where you can find Next Day Delivery gifts for those last-minute surprises.
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Audrey Pendant, £28.99, giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk
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True pearl necklace, £44.99, TreatHer.com
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