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Imagine this: you step through the doors of a small boutique hotel in East London, into what is actually a hidden piece of stylish design heaven, you are warmely welcomed with tea served in fine china porcelain cups, champagne, hendricks gin punch, cucumber sandwiches and cupcakes that look (nearly) too good to eat. Before you know it you are presented with racks of beautiful vintage dresses for you to try on, a team of ladies to give you a 50s make-up look and hair do, and lots of other fun pampering sessions in store for the afternoon: Including MOI!!!!

STYLE Pour Moi was invited to hold its very own Style clinic at the TART event at the 40winks hotel in London last week-end: this isn’t just any event: TART is a simmering orgy of fun, fashion and frivolity aimed at ladies who want to put some old fashioned glamour back in to their lives. Recommended by many (including the likes of CondeNast Traveller, DellaModa Italy, Style Bible, Tatler, The Saturday Times Magazine, Stylist, Glam.com, Le Cool, Amelia’s Magazine, Flavorpill, Fashion Zest, and the fabulous India Knight), but enjoyed by just a fortunate few, Tart is the ultimate afternoon of naughty self indulgence, seductive style and decadent pampering, and has established itself as one of London’s must–do monthly events.
Hosted at the decadent and wonderful 40 Winks (http://www.40winks.org/gallery.html) by the dandyesque David Carter (creative genius behind the Jacques Townhouse), gorgeous pin-up queen Fleur de Guerre and Vintage Secret’s Naomi Thompson, this is the event with a twist, not to be missed.

I was given my very own boudoir space set up in one of the hotel’s beautiful bedrooms, and for the whole afternoon I had the pleasure of giving mini stlyle consulations to groups of ladies sipping on champagne or earl grey tea, wearing fabulous Vintage frocks and sporting glamorous 50s make-up and hair-dos. A treat.

Even though I was “working”, I still managed to take in the wonderful atmosphere of the event and the 40winks team made me feel very welcome indeed. And as I waved good bye to the perfect hosts, and to many ladies wondering where to head to next for the night now that they looked like a million dollars, I thought to myself: every woman needs a bit of Tart in their life.

Some of TART's guests

Our host, interior designer genius, David Carter

yum!

and yum!

Yes, it’s that time of the year again when you’re thinking about investing in a few woollies and something decent to brave the cold on your way to the office.

If like me you’ve barely worn any of your summer dresses and have become an expert in layering (thank you Oh Rubbish Summer), then it won’t be long before you’ll be packing away your summer gear and start putting together your new winter wardrobe.

Now there are many many trends out there at the moment, which I’m sure you’ve all heard about already, (don’t worry I’m not asking you to recite them to me by heart). The good news is they’re almost all wearable, extremely flattering and you’re bound to find something irresistable amongst them all. So here are a few highlights of what’s just out there:

Ladylike

Curves are in for a treat as you’ll be able to show them off in some fifties, mad men inspired, beautifully flattering  garments this season, adding a pretty and feminine touch to your wardrobe. I’m not saying you need to go as far as wearing long gloves and bouffant hair to get the whole effect (unless you’d like to of course!) but it might be worth investing in a few “stand out” pieces that will see you through any civil wedding, birthday lunch party or christening to come.

Louis Vuitton

Bibhu Mohapatra

Warehouse

M&S

Mango

Prada

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Classic

The classic chic is back (I don’t think it was ever gone but there’s more of it now in the shops). Simple styling is an easy and elegant way of keeping a classic sophisticated look. From wool skirts, to silk shirts and stylish brogues, you’ll also be able to find a wide range of trousers to complete your work wardrobe; from peg legged to high wasted large trousers, look for a style that suits your body shape. Go for a block colour and match with a pretty blouse or white shirt for that minimalist look.

Balmain

Givenchy

H&M

Reiss

Celine

Gap

COS

Stella Mc Cartney

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Camel

If I hear one more time that Camel is the new black I might never wear the colour again. I have a few aunts who ‘ve sworn by the colour since I’ve known them and have retained a very “bon chic, bon genre” look by doing so for decades. Now they’ll be happy to see that many of us will join “team camel” as it was the colour that dominated the catwalk this season. Rather than going camel crazy, look for a shade that suits your colour complexion to avoid looking too washed out. Also try combining the colour with refined garment materials such as  wool,cashmere, jersey or silk to really optimise its chic effect.

Reiss

Hobbs

Reiss

Topshop

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There are plenty more things out there for you to explore (and which I’ll touch on soon).

Enjoy and remember that the important thing is that you find pieces that inspire you to create your own style, something you feel and look good in aswell as giving your wardrobe a boost.

Till next time (I promise not to leave it so long), x Cat.

Boots Gloves £2.50

Sanctuary Gloves £10

Clinique Sparkle scrib £18.50

The Sanctuary Spa Essentials £4.99

Lancome Caresse £31

Botanics Sugar Scrub £5

L'Oreal NutriSummer £5.99

Makebelieve £20

Fake Bake Bronze self tan £13

Clarins Bronze Glow £16

Now that your legs are as glossy as Naomi Campbell’s (well almost), you’re ready to show them off. Check out some of these beautiful dresses and skirts to complement your summer wardrobe:

French Connection £75

Marc Jacobs £274

French Connection £75

Miss Selfridge £40

MAx Mara £339

Dorothy Perkins £45

Dorothy Perkins £18

LK Bennett £195

Nicole Fahri £175

Oasis £55

Warehouse £70

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Combine the below skirts with a simple white Tee or fitted top.

New Look £20

Komodo £40

Malene Birger £124

Topshop £35

River Island £21

Reiss £95

I’m happy in flat shoes. Very happy. I feel safe knowing I can run up and down Regents street looking for the perfect outfit for my client or chase after my 2 year old boy who is drawn to touching anything remotely dangerous and has me pouncing around like a stressed out gazelle.

Flat shoes have always been around. So I find it quite funny when I see “Flats are back!!!” articles in glossy mags. It’s fair to say though that this season, designers have added something a little different to their endless amazing collections of towering high heeled, unpractical shoes and have given us more choice when it comes to wearing the comfy shoe.

As a big fan of feeling comfy (without looking frumpy), I always recommend that you own at least 2 pairs of good flat shoes, whether it’s a very reliable simple ballet pump or a pair of brogues.

Think about what flats could best compliment your current wardrobe and still help an outfit look great: Here is just a small selection of flats out there for you to check out and get ready to replace your winter boots with:

Office £25

Kurt Geiger £25

Givenchy £325

Topshop £28

Chloe £305

LK Bennett £95

Office £45

Office £45

Lanvin £325

Dorothy Perkins £20

Church's £210

Urban Outfitters £32

Urban Outfitters £45

Superga £40

OK, so it looks like winter isn’t going anywhere soon….hmmm…and you’re probably itching to go shopping to buy some summery clothes (because if you do, the sun is bound to make an appearance, right?). Well, the best remedy to make your winter wardrobe make that slow transition to a summer friendly one (without breaking the bank) is to start adding some floral patterned clothes to it.

Now, I have a definite thing about floral prints, my eye is always drawn to them. Maybe because my Mum used to make me and my sister gorgeous little summer dresses made out of Liberty fabric or maybe because I love the way some prints can really help bring out the beautiful, feminine soft side of a woman.

Nearly every year we hear that “Florals are back on the catwalk this spring!!!”. The fact is florals will always be around, they are a classic, and like a trench coat, definitely worth investing in.

So here is a small taster of what is out there : combine tops and skirts with your big chunky knits while the weather is still chilly and you’ll feel more summery already.

Tibi £260

Topshop £38

Marc Jacobs

DVF £313

Mango £45

Dorothy Perkins £30

Dorothy Perkins £30

DVF £318

Miss Selfridge £30

Topshop £30

Topshop £35

Urban Outfitters £10

Liberty £85

Silence & Noise £45

I remember my Mum’s trench coat vividally from when I was a little girl. Whether she wore it over her gardening clothes to go and buy the Sunday paper or over her best frock to go out for dinner, it always delivered and made her look “Très Chic”!

So of course  I automatically assumed back then that she was the first person ever to wear a trench coat and was responsible for making it THE best fashion staple of all times (ahh, the tiny sweet innocent world of a child!). Little did I know that it was actually Thomas Burberry who first designed the garment for the army back in 1901 and it was the French and British soldiers who carried on wearing the trench after they returned home from war.

Not surprising so that after Humphrey Bogart stared in Casablanca wearing the trench coat himself,  all women and men around the world adopted it and designers have made it part of their collection must haves.

So, if you haven’t got one already, and are looking for the perfect “Chic fix”, then check out these gorgeous trench coats. Luckily there is something for everyone out there from the very reliable Burberry classic trench to more affordable high street versions:

Twenty8twelve £265

Asos £60

Miu Miu £745

Mango £85

Topshop £75

Burberry £1781

Fenn Wright Penn £225

Jaeger £140

M&S £69

Winter isn’t over yet BUT we can look forward to slowly stripping back the odd layer or two as we prepare ourselves for what is promising to be a spring full of wonderful clothes in store for us.

In the meantime, and while you carefully plan your next spring/summer wardrobe shopping trip (with me for some of you!), it’s a good time to think about making sure you have a few basic clothes to see you through the rest of the year: items that you can easily mix and match with everything and that will help you create a complete look. To prepare yourself for the spring and summer days, think soft pastel and neutral colour basic garments and good quality cotton fabrics.

Starting with cotton tops:

You can find plenty of cotton tops available in practically every high street store. However it’s worth pointing out Uniqlo’s “Heattech” range of (wait for it): heat generating/heat retention/soft/anti-odour/anti-static/non deforming and comfortable tops….phew…and you get all that for only £6.99!

www.uniqlo.com

The White company and Topshop also offer a basic range of affordable tops of all sizes, shapes and colours:

http://www.thewhitecompany.com/

http://www.topshop.com/

The shirt dress:

It’s a classic and easy to suit most body shapes. It was seen alot on the runway for s/s10 so we can expect the high street to offer shirt dresses galore. In the meantime these will create a collection of everyday basic dresses that you easily accessorise with belts and brooches to make your own:

Gap

Gap

M&S

Reiss

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Trousers:

It’s always good to own a couple of nice light coloured tailored or baggy trousers (depending on what suits your body shape best) and make your wardrobe ready for the sun to make an appearance.

The White Company

Asos

Uniqlo

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Accessorise:

Accessorizing your basics never fails to lighten things up a little and help you personalise your style. Replace your big woolie scarf with a variety of beautiful bold print, pretty coloured scarfs:

Topshop

Accesorize

Accesorize

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Jackets and Coats:

A parka or a trench coat is a great option to transition between big heavy winter coat to a light jacket

Topshop

New Look

Uniqlo

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The next few weeks, the shops will start gathering all the collections for this Spring/Summer season. In the meantime, if you’ve got a bit of Christmas money left over, get your basic essentials sorted and it will be one less thing to worry about!

X Catherine

2. I promise to throw away all my old knickers and replace them with some lovely new ones.

3. During the sales, I will not buy something that is the wrong size, shape or colour just because it’s a great bargain.

4. I promise to clear my wardrobe before Spring and work out a complete new capsule wardrobe for those warm days ahead (and maybe ask for Catherine’s help?).

5. I promise to treat my body well and love every inch of it.

6. I promise not to feel under pressure to follow the trends but instead look for inspiration to create my own style.

7. I will stay clear from Crocs shoes and Ugg boots.

8. I will make the effort to always look good…even if it’s the last thing on my mind.

Happy New Year!

X Catherine

I wanted to thank all of you who’ve been reading my blog these past few months, it’s been alot of fun and I’ll be back in the new year with tips and advice galore.

Some of you have asked me to cover specific topics, which I can’t wait to do. In the meantime if there is anything else you’d like me to look into, whether it’s finding high heels you can run in or elegant tracksuit bottoms, you name it! Just email me at catherine@stylepourmoi.com

I wish you a lovely, stylish, scrumptious Christmas with all your loved ones.

X Catherine

Now, there are two types of headbands: the ones you see young teenage girls wear around their forehead, over their long locks and which somehow seem to polish their boho look rather nicely (boho look usually consisting of  skinny jeans, ankle boots and big sheepskin coats) . I know that if I attempted to wear one of them I’d look (and feel) rather odd. So instead, I’m going to talk about the other headband: the one that you usually wear the old fashioned way (tucked behind the ears), reveals a subtle little piece of something (feather, sequins, bows anything!)  and, if chosen carefully (the right colour/style for you), will simply look fabulous and will help update and finish your outfit nicely.

Here is just a small selection of a few beautiful ones that you probably still have time to buy before your first xmas bash. Have fun!

Reiss £25

Dorothy Perkins_15

Topshop £10

2adorn £60

Anthropologie £20

Johnny loves Rosie £50

Jennifer Ouelette £120

Boots £5

Cherry Chau £82