How to winter proof your wardrobe

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The UK saw its coldest temperatures of the winter last week, and don’t we know it. As well as the white stuff causing chaos for planes, trains and automobiles almost everywhere, it also made us dig out our cosiest clothes in an attempt to keep warm and stave off the frost bite.

Yes, as a nation we do love to make a meal out of the weather, but with a good couple of months until spring rears its pretty head, we would say its time to get with the programme and make sure your wardrobe can deal with all that Mother Nature might throw at you.

Bring on the boots
Sorry to break it to you, but ballet pumps and heels will not help you get through the snow, this is where moon boots and wellies come in. There are some really funky options out there from the likes of Hunter, and ASOS is jam-packed with cute, quirky options that will ensure you look totally on trend and your toes stay toasty.

Dress it up
Just because it’s winter, it doesn’t mean you can’t wear dresses. A dress is a must-have for colder days and the trick is to go for thicker materials, midi styles, long sleeves and a high neck. Match dresses with boots and a roll neck for the office, and to make this look work for the weekend, a soft knit and trainers tick all the boxes.

Get the right jeans
Winter isn’t the time for flares or rips if you want to keep warm, so we suggest going for skinnies. Wear them casually with a sweatshirt and trainers, go for a silk blouse and heels for a night out, and you tuck them into snow boots and still look great. We would suggest going for black or indigo and if it is really cold, put a pair of leggings or tights on underneath for extra insulation.

Cool coats
Now when we say this we mean a coat that is going to keep you warm but look on trend. There is the puffa and parker, but while these totally work with skinnies and Uggs at the weekend, they don’t have the wow factor for work. We would suggest investing in a statement coat in navy, camel or black, one that is tailored, and go for the top end of your budget if you want it to last.

Basic t-shirts
Long and short-sleeved t-shirts might not be the most exciting items, but they will be your winter saviours when it comes to keeping warm. You can put a chunky kint over the top, layer with a pretty cardigan and they work well with shirts and dresses too. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but go for soft, stretchy fabrics that feel good against your skin, and once you have found the perfect fit, buy it in a range of colours.

Wrap up in a scarf
A cosy scarf won’t only keep your warm when the wind is biting, but it will look good too. Whether you opt for a thick blanket style scarf, a woollen one with pompoms, or glam up with faux fur, you won’t catch a chill when you are out and about, but you will show you are up to date with current fashions. Oh, you might want to buy a hat and gloves too.

Team Pure Beauty

How to Detox Your Wardrobe

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akin, ankles, bikinis, black, body, boho, bright pink skinny jeans, buy, chest of drawers, clients, clip hangers, clothes, colour, cowboy boots, Cropped jeans, detox, diary, dress, dry January, essentials, fabric, fake fur gillet, February, fine knits, flip flops, fluffy bomber jacket, fresh, friends, golden rule, grey, gym, hip, home, honest, invest, items, jeans, kaftans, long sleeved floral maxi dress, love, lunch, meeting, navy, ong-sleeved Breton t-shirt, out-out, pairs of jeans, piles, polished, Quality over quantity, rain or shine, right length, ruthless, school run, sell, shape, Sienna Miller, skinnies, skirt, smart casual look, snow, spring, staple, storage accessories, straw hats, style, tailored trousers, trainers, versatile items, wardrobe, wear, winter or spring, work, worn

With Dry January out of the way and your body akin to a temple (right?), February is the perfect time to go ahead and detox your wardrobe.

Why not spend some time this month looking at what you have, and what you might need, and to get really organised so you look fresh and polished from now right through to the summer.

Set aside a morning or afternoon when you can turn the phone off and just get on with the job in hand! Put it in your diary and stick to it.

Ready? Let’s go.

The six-month rule
If you haven’t worn something in your wardrobe in the past six months, the chances are, you won’t wear it again. This is a time to be honest and ruthless so as you go through your clothes, make three piles – keep, sell, and give away. Those bright pink skinny jeans, the fluffy bomber jacket and those lime green cowboy boots didn’t work for a reason, so don’t hang onto them just incase.

Quality over quantity
You might feel good knowing your wardrobe is bursting open with hundreds of items, but how many do you actually wear and really like? You might not believe us, but having 30 pieces you really love to wear will make your clothes work so much better for you. By doing this you can also see what is missing and what you need to buy, if anything.

It’s a matter of jeans
OK, how many pairs of jeans do you have in your wardrobe? 5, 10, 15…..more???? Jeans are a staple but one that is hard to crack. They need to be the right length, colour, shape, style and only then are they perfect. Cropped jeans elongate legs and there is nothing like a flash of ankle, mid-risers are hip flatterers and skinnies work on so many levels. See which ones fit, get rid of the ones that don’t, and buy a couple of new pairs that make you look, and feel, amazing.

Jump to it
Come rain or shine, winter or spring, fine knits in black, grey and navy are essentials, end of. They are the most versatile items in your wardrobe, so it pays to invest in the best you can afford. They can be worn with tailored trousers for a smart casual look, match them with those perfect jeans you have found, or pop over a dress and you look as if you have pulled a new skirt out of the wardrobe!

Stripes
Whether you are 13, 30 or 83, a long-sleeved Breton t-shirt will always be your fashion friend. They are brilliant to wear with trainers and jeans on the school run or pop under a jacket and you have a more tailored look that will work well for a meeting with clients or lunch with friends.

Go by the seasons
When you are organising your wardrobe, do it by the seasons. As we are in the middle of winter, you can pack away bikinis, kaftans, flip flops and straw hats – wrap them in tissue paper with moth balls, and store away until the snow has thawed and spring is in the air. You want everything else, to be visible so you can grab, and go.

Be an outfit builder
If you want the clothes you have kept to really work for you, create three outfits from each item you have kept. For example, that long-sleeved floral maxi dress can be worn alone, add a jumper and boots and you have a daytime staple, and if you layer with a fine knit and fake fur gillet, you have a boho look that Sienna Millar would be proud to be seen in.

Fold or hang?
If you want them to keep their shape, always fold knits, t-shirts and jeans. You can either layer them in a chest of drawers or get storage accessories that hang in your wardrobe. Trousers and skirts can be hung on clip hangers and for dresses, go for slim hangers. The golden rule with hanging is that you should be able to fit two fingers between each hanger, and this way your clothes don’t get crushed or lost in a blur of fabric.

Sort it out
If you have taken the time to find the clothes that work for you, it is worth sorting them out in a way that works too. Hang dresses, jackets and shirts together, and then have subcategories of work, home, gym, out-out and if you want to go one step further, complete with a spot of colour coordination.

So, now you know what you have to wear, you just need to fill your diary with events to go to.

Team Pure Beauty

Make your bathroom to oasis of calm

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add value, ambience, bath mat, bath panels, bathroom, beautiful, bounce light, bright pink, ceilings, choice, clean, clear, cold, contemporary feel, contrasting colour, dark grey, dark greys, dull, eco-friendly, escape, floor paint, furniture and accessories, glamour, gorgeous, hard day, intricate mosaic tiles, LED lights, LED taps, lifeless, Matt blacks, mirror, mirrors, natural light, navy, neutral hue, oasis of calm, on trend look, pale, pale blues and greens, Patterned and decorative tiles, perfect palace bathroom, property, re-plaster, reed diffuser, small, smallest room, smelly loo, soap dispenser, sophisticated, Spa, sparkle, specialist stencil, statement colour, success, test run, texture, tiles, timber shelving, tired, TLC, toilet brush holder, toilet roll holder, totally transform, towels, tumbler, under floor heating, waffle towels, walls, white walls, wicker baskets, windows

It might be the smallest room in the house, but your bathroom can be the best.

Even tired bathrooms can look gorgeous, and with a little TLC you can create an oasis of calm in your own home.

We have some easy, but effective tips to help you create a little haven where you can go to escape after a hard day.

Get the colour right
A pale, neutral hue opens up a small bathroom and gives it a clean, contemporary feel. If you like a little colour, consider pale blues and greens as these can create a light airy feel and if you add texture with timber shelving, wicker baskets and waffle towels it will feel far from clinical.

Natural light
Bathroom windows are often small, but they do still offer an element of natural light. They key to success is keeping sills clear and clean and not covering glass with window treatments which blur lines. You can bounce light around the room with the strategic placement of mirrors and using glossy tiles rather than matt options which can be dull and lifeless.

Tile it
When it comes to tiles, there has never been so much choice out there. If you are going to replace tiles, remember it can add up, especially if you need to re-plaster the walls, but at the same time this can totally transform a room and add value to your property. Large tiles can add depth to a room and make it look bigger and smaller coloured tiles and intricate mosaic tiles look beautiful around your bathtub and add an air of glamour. Do remember tiles can be cold in winter, so look at under floor heating if you take this route.

Patterns on the floor
Patterned and decorative tiles are a big thing at the moment. While tiles can be pricey, you can achieved the same effect using a specialist stencil and floor paint. With a wide range of stencils currently on the market, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to creating the perfect palace bathroom. Go for a contrasting colour to your walls, and do a test run to make sure you are happy with the pattern and colours.

Dark tones
Matt blacks and dark greys can look really cool in bathrooms. Used for furniture and accessories, it can be teamed with white walls and pale tiles for a sophisticated, on trend look that won’t age.

Go LED
LED lights are not only eco-friendly but they are also the perfect way to add ambience to your bathroom. From LED mirrors, to LED taps and lighting recessed into ceilings, bath panels and floor tiles, the trend is spreading fast and is one you might want to get involved with.

Freshen up
Reed diffusers in your bathroom take away nasty smalls and make your loo smell like a spa.

Add colour
If nothing else, simply change the colour theme of your bathroom accessories to give it a spring clean. By choosing one statement colour for your soap dispenser, tumbler, toilet roll holder, toilet brush holder, towels, bath mats and shower curtain you will bring the whole room together. We love bright pink, navy and dark grey because they all totally change the look and feel of any bathroom.

Let us know what makes your bathroom sparkle, we would love to know.

Team Pure Beauty

Make life easy with a capsule wardrobe

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If you are looking get more, out of less, when it comes to fashion, it could be that you need a capsule wardrobe in your life.

If you’ve got more shoes than Imelda Marcos and love nothing more than buying that new jumper in every colour, streamlining might seem daunting.

The good news is, it doesn’t have to be.

The term “capsule wardrobe” was coined in the 1970s, by London boutique owner Susie Faux, and it describes a collection of wardrobe staples that will meet your fashion needs each season and they key to success is that it works for you.

Dressing this way means it is easier to decide what to wear, because you know everything in your closet looks and feels great on you. You will find your wardrobe is tidy and organised, and you spend less time working out what to wear and money buying new clothes because you know what you have works.

We have put together some simple steps to get you started, and we have a feeling you won’t look back.

Do your research
Be it from magazines, websites, friends or social media, look for ideas and inspiration and create a mood board for your new capsule wardrobe.

What’s your style?
As well as making life easier, the capsule wardrobe is also designed to help you find your own personal style. Maybe you have a love of the 1970s, like to keep up with the catwalks or possible hanker for a more boho look – whatever it is, keep your eyes open for the essentials that will help you create that look for you.

Consider your lifestyle
Do think about what you like to wear. Identify all the different activities you do in your daily life (i.e. work, playing with the kids, doing the school run, working, going out with friends) and be practical about what would work when it comes to clothes.

The basics
With your research done, it is time to raid your existing wardrobe. A smart blazer, well fitting jeans, a pair of straight leg trousers, a tailored coat, a shift dress and a silk shirt are great examples of basics. You can then add statement pieces like a well cut suit and a sparkly top so you don’t get bored and remember, nothing is just for best. You are looking ideally for around 35 key pieces which you can place on a rail and then access what is missing and what you need to pull it all together.

Colours
The capsule is the foundation of your wardrobe, so we suggest keeping to neutral colours for your key pieces. Navy, olive, grey and black are the obvious starting points and you will be amazed how a pop of colour will really bring each outfit together.

Sort it out
This is the time to look at what remains in your closet. Make a pile of anything that you don’t wear and the items that don’t fit. If you know you aren’t going to wear them again, give them away and store the rest of next season. If you find you don’t use them in the next six months, clear them away for good. This isn’t being ruthless, it will simply help clear your mind and your home.

Go shopping
If you find you are missing some items make a list and when you go shopping, stick to it. Remember, a capsule wardrobe isn’t about creating a whole new you but instead reigniting your love of the clothes and finding your signature style.

Shake it up
After 3 – 6 months, or as the seasons change, you can take some items away and add others in, but as much as possible keep to those initial staples and in time you will know what works for you.

Happy sorting and enjoy your new-found fashion freedom.

Team Pure Beauty

Autumn fashion the weather way

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Accessories, arm, bag, biker, bling, cardigans, case, cases, chic, clutch, coat, December, demin, earrings, edge, fashion, glittery accessories, jacket, lash lengthening mascara, midi skirt, mini break, navy, October, on trend, oversized, pixie, points, rain, scarves, shadows, sheepskin, sophistication, style, sun, sunglasses, tote, UV, weather

We don’t know about you, but it seems like the weather is still pretty mild for mid-October?

One minute it is almost balmy, the next there is rain pelting down on your freshly made up face.

With this in mind, knowing what to wear so we aren’t too cold or too hot is a bit tricky.

“I keep my umbrella and sunglasses with me at all times, together with a pair of gloves.”
Joanna

“I am still wearing my maxi-dreses in October but add a demin jacket when the sun goes in.”
Tina

“It am still in flip flips and have a regular manicure. I’m just not ready to get out the winter boots.”
Maria

With this in mind, we have put together a few ideas for the perfect autumn transitional wardrobe.

Jeans are a staple for pretty much everyone. Dark denim can be dressed up with a crisp white shirt and boots for work and a simple, black t-shirt and Converse trainers make skinnies the right side of casual for the school run. Find a brand that works for you, get your size right and mix fitted with boyfriend styles and you will never struggle with jeans again.

Layering is at is most useful between October and December. Stock on staples such as long-sleeved, cotton tops, pretty vests and fitted cardigans in neutral tones and you can adapt your look as the weather changes.

We aren’t yet really in the realms of heavy winter coats, but chilly mornings and early evening shadows, mean that for many, a jacket is a must. Go for a structured denim or leather jacket that is easy to carry over your arm but will keep you warm once the sun goes in. If it’s rain that catches you out, there are some pretty smart shower resistant coats that look smart and keep your dry.

What to wear on your feet? A pair of silver ballet pumps or snake print trainers, make the perfect autumn footwear. They can be worn with jeans for coffee with the girls, add a little sophistication to a midi skirt and give an edge if having an early evening drinks.

If you are thinking boots, invest in a pair in either black or tan and go for a heel if you are up to the challenge. Long or short work well, pixie and biker are both in the shops and on trend. Shiny metal hardware adds an extra statement and if it is really cold, consider sheepskin – you know what we are talking about.

Accessories really make an outfit work as the seasons change. Pretty scarves, waterfall cardigans, cute earrings and a splattering of bling can totally change any look in seconds. Flick through a few magazines or scroll Pinterest and you will soon find looks something that will work for you.

Never leave the house without a pair of sunglasses. They add an instant touch of chic even if you are going to the supermarket. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but got for a dark, over sized pair that offer adequate UV protection and keep them in a case to prevent scratching.

Your bag can seriously make or break your outfit. There are some fantastic totes in the shops this autumn in rich navy and reds that add an instant look of glamour to even the plainest pair of jeans and pumps. For evenings, go for a minimal clutch with a little glitter for extra style points and if you are going on a mini break, wheeled cases are the way to go.

Add some lash lengthening mascara, a swipe of plum lipstick and a smile and you are ready to go come rain or shine.

Team Pure-Beauty