tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1874565 2012-02-07T15:53:35+00:00 Live your life a little more stylishly...everyday TypePad MicheleDukehttp://feedburner.google.com tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115709c078d970b016300eee536970d 2012-02-07T15:53:35+00:00 2012-02-07T15:53:35+00:00

Winter has arrived - we knew it was coming but it's still a shock to the system isn't it? I always feel the cold around my neck so I am a scarf-lover. I have drawers full of them, all different shapes, sizes, and fabrics. And I wear them all year, not just in the winter. If you are not a "scarfer", now is the time to embrace this fabulous accessory. My advice is to go for a long, narrow scarf in a light fabric. This is more versatile than a thick wool one, can be worn in all weathers, and will look more sophisticated. I'm lusting after this M&S Limited Edition Pop Art Scarf which will brighten up any winter coat and look great with my summer clothes too. And it's only £15! If you want something special then you can't beat Liberty of London. Why not let him know you'd like something silky for Valentine's (but make sure he knows you are talking about a scarf!). Not sure how to tie your scarf? Wrap up warm, style sisters. And don't forget I still have plenty of gorgeous fashions to see you right through to spring. Click here to see my special 50% off promotion only for customers and their friends during February 2012.

MicheleDuke http://micheleduke.typepad.com/michele-duke/2012/02/a-scarf-is-for-all-seasons.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115709c078d970b016300ecafe2970d 2012-02-07T12:53:34+00:00 2012-02-07T13:04:28+00:00

Can you be gorgeous, sexy and attractive over 50? At what age do you need to stop wearing a mini-skirt? Are you so afraid of looking like your daughter you've started dressing like your mother? We're all looking for that perfect "Ageless Style". The best antidote to ageing is confidence. Wear your clothes with confidence and you will look ageless. Here are my top tips. 1. Ignore Fashion and concentrate on Style. Include contemporary touches to keep yourself looking on trend, but leave fashion to the youngsters. Go for elegant, timeless clothes that create a statement. Avoid “matchy-matchy”. It will date you. Be brave about putting together toning colours but don't match colours. Shoes and bag do not need to match – it worked for your mother but not for you! 2. Dress to show your body, whatever your size. No one looks better in shapeless, baggy clothes. If you don’t like some things about your body shape, a Style Advisor can help you find ways to minimise or disguise them and play up parts you do like. She will show you the designs and cuts which suit your body shape and proportion. It will save you a fortune in the long run. Wear clothes that fit. Never wear clothes that are too tight. Forget the label size and focus on fit. 3. Find out which colours and fabrics suit you today. Subtle colouring changes occur which you may not have noticed. Increased ash tones in the hair, a slightly redder complexion – all these things affect the way colour looks on you. Put together colours and textures that have a lot in common. Various shades of similar colour can look very elegant. Try mixing different shades of black and charcoal, red and orange, cream and white, greys. Mix fur...

MicheleDuke http://micheleduke.typepad.com/michele-duke/2012/02/10-top-tips-for-ageless-style.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115709c078d970b016761e09272970b 2012-02-07T10:23:27+00:00 2012-02-07T10:30:13+00:00

As an entrepreneur you probably spend most of your time thinking about your products, your finances, your customers and how to build your business. (And possibly, how to do all this and still get the kids to school or the dinner cooked!) No doubt marketing is often top of your mind. How to promote your business in order to get more sales. Marketing experts tell us to focus on our web presence, blogging, brochures, branding, advertising.... the list is endless. Yet the most important marketing tool is often forgotten. You. Yes, you. When you are out on your own, you are your brand. You have no corporate logo, no headquarters, no PR agencies spinning the best stories. When you run your own business, you ARE the business. Are you making the most of your best asset? Your style is the first thing people notice about you. Your clothes, your hair, your accessories, the way you walk, the way you talk – all this is picked up in the first few seconds. In his book, “Blink”, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the first two seconds of looking, the decisive glance that knows in an instant. He says “..... it would be interesting to find out what goes on in that moment when someone looks at you and draws all sorts of conclusions.” If people are drawing conclusions about you in the first two seconds, don’t you want to make sure they get the right message? Give your business the presence it needs – you. You, looking the part. You, personifying your brand. This means finding ways to bring out your values and your personality. It’s not about creating a false identify, it’s about letting the real you shine through. We go to networking meetings or conferences to promote our businesses and know...

MicheleDuke http://micheleduke.typepad.com/michele-duke/2012/02/you-are-your-business.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115709c078d970b016761d2da2e970b 2012-02-06T20:44:59+00:00 2012-02-06T20:44:59+00:00

The fabulous, talented, fun-loving, truly eccentric Helena Bonham-Carter shows how to do "Funshion" (that's fashion with fun). I love fashion but, my goodness, some people take it so seriously. Why? By it's very nature, fashion must be fun. It is ephemeral, transient, ever-changing, subjective. What is 100% right today will be 100% wrong in 6 weeks. Anyone who takes this seriously needs their head examining! The only way to be involved in fashion and stay sane is to recognise it for what it is: a wonderful kaleidoscope of fantasy, dreams, conformity and capitalism. So, whilst I do the round of fashion events, flick through the magazines, scan the fashion websites, and can't wait to select my collections each season, I see it all as a giggle. I can't help a sceptical "oh yeah, says who?" when I am told that THIS is the only way that's acceptable for this season. Which is why I just adore it when I see others who treat it all as a bit of a laugh. Here is a my favourite this week: Helena Bonham-Carter at the Golden Globes. I've loved her for years - her beauty, her eccentricity, her talent, the fact that she's bezzy mates with Johnny Depp.... Her red-carpet style had me roaring with laughter. Read what she says here. What style! I'd love to have the guts to do this! The reason this works so well is because it demonstrates her personality, is in line with the values she espouses and she wears it with attitude and aplomb. It is just so HER. It's a great example of how the way you wear it is so much more important than what you wear.

MicheleDuke http://micheleduke.typepad.com/michele-duke/2012/02/having-fun-with-fashion.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115709c078d970b0168e6d3d715970c 2012-02-06T20:26:48+00:00 2012-02-06T20:46:31+00:00

Discover your body shape and rediscover the joy of dressing and shopping. The glorious Dove campaign girls show just a little of the variety on women's body shape. Around 50% of women in the UK don't know their body shape, and even more don't dress for their shape. Yet this simple discovery, along with an understanding of how your shape and your clothes work together could change your life overnight. I don't want be overly dramatic, but seriously, when you know what suits you it makes shopping a cinch and dressing a delight. It will almost certainly make you feel more confident, more adventurous and, perhaps, a little more sassy. You don't need to spend money or much time getting to grips with this fundamental information about yourself. All you need is a mirror and a tape measure. There are thousands of websites and videos on the internet to help you do this at home. Here is one I love - a video which is both entertaining and enlightening. She's a bit batty but has a simple way of explaining the basics. Once you've watched the video go to the website and use the calculator to find out your body shape. There is lots of advice for dressing your body shape here too. Or take a look at this site - Joy Wilson gives great advice in a very straighforward manner.

MicheleDuke http://micheleduke.typepad.com/michele-duke/2012/02/discover-your-body-shape.html