Archive for July, 2010
Whilst work wear is essential and most people want to look smart and stylish for work, they don’t want to spend too much money on it, preferring to spend money on casual or going out clothes instead. But workwear is a good investment as creating the right impression at work and projecting a business like image can do wonders for your career and you may well find that by dressing smartly you feel more confident and people treat you differently.
Suits are the easiest and smartest work wear for ladies. They are quick to put on in the mornings and if you choose neutral colours easy to co ordinate with a top. Once you have a few great neutral coloured suits you can wear them with a different top and accessories for each day of the week. Trousers or skirt suits are both great options and a smart shift dress with a tailored jacket can look just as business like.
If you only have a small budget for work wear you can buy just two or three suits in a range of neutral colours and five vest or camisole tops to wear under them. You may want to buy an extra pair of trousers or a skirt to go with the suit jacket giving you an additional combination to wear. You should invest in a great pair of shoes that is incredibly comfortable and goes with all of your suits. Black, brown and grey are all good colours for work shoes and a medium to low heel is usually the most comfortable, stylish and practical.
In order to get a good work wardrobe without spending too much money look out for suits in the sales or special offers as they can be quite pricey. Roman Originals have a wide selection of ladies suits including trouser suits and skirt suits. There are also many special offers at Roman Originals with matching skirt or pair of trousers when you buy a suit jacket. A good neutral colour handbag is also a good investment as it will go with any of your work outfits. Look out in the sales for some great handbag bargains.
This black notch neck jacket and black flared skirt are perfect for the autumn and winter. The skirt will loook great with either boots or shoes and the suit will go with all sorts of different colour tops including white, pink, blue, orange and green. You could even add a contrasting scarf for a really stylish work outfit.
This suit is a great version of the classic black suit with a twist (of lime). The contrasting bands on the waist and sleeves make it a little different, great for those who want to stand out from the crowd at work. It would look great with cream, white, black, grey, green or orange tops.
Another good way of saving money is to keep dry cleaning to a minimum. Trousers and skirts can often be machine washed saving on the dry cleaning fee so check the labels and only dry clean items that cannot be machine washed.
It may still be the middle of summer, but it never harms to look a bit ahead and plan for the season ahead. Any clothes that you buy now could last not only through the summer and into the autumn but also into to the winter if chosen carefully. Buying clothes that can be worn from one season to another is an art. It will save you money and allow you to build a really versatile wardrobe but you will need to consider carefully what you buy. Firstly the clothing should be adaptable for the huge range of temperatures that you are likely to experience from the summer into the winter, it should also look quite appropriate for the season and finally if you are fashion conscious, you should seek out trends that are likely to continue into the coming seasons allowing you to always look on trend and fashionable.
Depending on the piece of clothing that you choose, you can usually adapt it for the colder weather with the addition of tights, leggings, scarfs, boots and cardigans. It is worth thinking about colours as some colours will work well with warm opaque black tights others will not . Generally lighter colours are more difficult to wear in the winter but this is not a rule. The clever addition of patterned or coloured tights and a brightly coloured cardigan can transform a floral summer dress. The thickness of clothing is also an important consideration when deciding which outfits will take you into autumn and winter 2010. A medium thickness will tend to work well for both summer and winter. Anything too thin or flimsy may look a little strange in the middle of winter. Jersey pieces are excellent as they can be worn on their own in the summer or layered for extra warmth and an interesting effect in the autumn and winter.
There are a number of key trends that will be sticking around for autumn and winter and these include neutrals, animal prints, lace and draping. There are also plenty of classic items that look great no matter what is in fashion including shift dresses, cropped cardigans and tailored jackets. These will not only last into winter this year but will also last for many seasons to come. Shift dresses are ideal for wearing with a long sleeved top underneath or with a cardigan and tights.
This animal print jumper looks great with black trousers or a skirt for the winter and lighter neutral colours for the summer.
This black sleeveless shift dress can be worn with bare legs for the summer or with tights and a brightly coloured cardigan for the autumn and winter.
This beautiful crochet cardigan is an elegant way to add a little warmth to a huge number of different summer outfits for the winter.
This jade brown dress is just the sort of colour scheme that can work equally well for summer or winter. Try wear with a jade green cardigan and neutral coloured tights for a great outfit for a special occasion.
Roman Originals is now offering p to 80% off in its summer sale with discounts on dresses, skirts, trousers, tops and accessories. There are some great bargains to be had so don’t wait too long as they won’t last for long. Here are some of our favourite bargains.
This long sleeve light weight waterfall cardigan is really elegant and can be worn over any number of outfits to keep warm on a cool summer day and will take you right through to the autumn. It is a key colour for this summer and fits in really well with the seasons minimalist palette but will also look great when worn over a brightly coloured dress or floral blouse. It has been reduced to just £25 in the sale!
With Autumn only a few months away, it is a great time to invest in a coat in the sales. This ladies longline tailored coat or jacket is the ultimate in sophisticated outerwear. Its long length and funnel neck make it incredibly flattering. It has ivory piping detail which makes it ideal for smarter occasions like church weddings or outdoor events in the autumn when you need a bot of extra warmth. Wear it with a dress or tailored trousers or skirt and blouse. It is now just £19 in the sale!
A line skirts are the perfect way to hide larger thighs. This beautiful Ivory black contrast print floral skirt is a really striking design and would look great for all sorts of summer, autumn and winter occassions. The bold combination of black and white will make you stand out from the crowd and will look great when combined with either a black or white top. For an outfit that will really turn heads, you could also try wearing with a red top or adding some bright red accessories or shoes. Thos skirt is now £14 in the Roman Originals sale!
The maxi dress is definitely one  of the key trends for the summer and the maxi dress looks like it will also be sticking around for the winter. This contrast tie black yellow crinkle sleeveless dress is ideal for all sorts of parties what ever the season. Add some wedge heels and a cropped cardigan or bolero when the weather starts to get colder and you have an amazing outfit at a really amazing price of just £25. The empire line of this dress is universally flattering and covers a multitude if sins.
The best investments when shopping in the sales are usually the most versatile items. These narrow leg casual cream trousers are not only a key trend but they are also so versatile, they will go with almost any top. Try combining with bright patterns and prints for a really bold look or muted neutral shades for a more subtle effect. These trousers look great with flat shoes or a gorgeous pair of tan leather sandals. They also come with a detachable plaited belt which can be worn with lots of other outfits. These trousers are now reduced to just £15!
The little black dress has always been a popular wardrobe choice due to both its versatility and simplicity. This summer the black dress has a rival which is really on trend and just as versatile and wearable as its darker counterpart. White dresses have a certain innocence about them and are a refreshing change to the summer’s must have bright colours, patterns and prints. The colour white is one of the key shades this summer and is perfectly in keeping with the huge minimalist trend that we are seeing everywhere.
If you are worried that white looks a little bit boring then you shouldn’t be. Bright white can be just as eyecatching as bold and colourful prints and it can also act as a blank canvas for all sorts of bright and colourful accessories as well as being worn on its own for a much simpler look. Rather than focusing on colour a white dress can be interesting on a whole different level. A more subtle variety of interesting textures can make a white dress incredibly stylish.
One thing to look out for when searching for the perfect white summer dress is transparency. White fabric can be see through and show your underwear which is not a great look. Always hold white clothes up to the light before wearing them to see how see through they are. For dresses and skirts, you should look for either thick fabrics or thinner fabrics with a lining. You should always ensure that you wear some white or skin coloured underwear.
White is an ideal choice for the summer as it is bright, light and will keep you cool in the sun. White also looks amazing with a sun tan and will make tanned skin look more obvious.  You should aim to keep your white dress really clean and white to ensure that it always has maximum impact. You can buy products which will restore your whites to there original brightness to keep them looking great.
This beautiful white crinkle cotton dress (pictured above) is perfect for the summer. It has a combination of crinkled cotton and silver embroidery. It is lined to avoid it being see through and has wide shoulder straps making it easy to wear without revealing bra straps.
For a simple casual look try wearing your white dress with a pair of brown or tan sandals. You could also add wooden beads or bangles and a brown leather belt. For a much brighter look you can try combining a white dress with almost any colour. How about lots of multi colour necklaces or a bright red pair of shoes. If you want to really work the boho trend, then a denim jacket, some gladiator sandals and a fringed bag are just what you need.  Silver accessories including metallic sandals would also look great or you could add a big straw hat and straw or coloured beach bag for a cool and elegant holiday outfit.
Avoid wearing with all white accessories as this could look too much.
Asides from your own wedding day, the next dilemma we have to face is when our children grow up and decide to get married and so the mother of the bride (or groom for that matter!) you will be the second most important person at the ceremony. You will have guests approaching you all day to congratulate you on having such a wonderful daughter or son, you may be called upon to give a speech in the absence of a father, and as a mother you tend to ensure the smooth running of the wedding so that the bride or groom arenâ??t distracted with any minor hiccups. And whilst youâ??re doing all this, you want to show everyone just how super stylish you can be!
Being a mother of the bride doesnâ??t mean itâ??s time to go shopping for a mother of the bride clothing which you would see your own mother wearing- quite the opposite! So to help you choose the perfect outfit for your daughter/sonâ??s big day, here are a few tips to help you. First of all, donâ??t opt for plain colours on plain dresses- especially if the bride is wearing white, cream, or ivory. Choose something in perhaps a darker colour such as fuchsias, greens and blues, or even vibrant purples like aubergine. Try not to be too flashy- too much exposed skin or overly shiny fabric can easily upstage the bride. If you are going to a hot country for the ceremony, a small dress which has an off the shoulder look and knee length skirt wonâ??t look flashy for the settings as long as you keep it moderate. Check out your favourite designer as buying a dress from their collections means that you could wear your outfit after the wedding, so it wonâ??t seem such a costly expense. But in order for you to be able to wear it again, try thinking outside the box and opt for a classy evening dress or a smart trouser suit rather than having lots of flashy sequins which isnâ??t really stylish for other events.
If you want to look more stylish than traditional, then avoid bridal shops. Bridal shops tend to only stock traditional mother of the bride outfits and havenâ??t yet caught up with the times of having younger mother of the brides, so they tend to carry ugly, sequined disasters in horrible muted pastel colours. If you are looking for special detailing on your outfit, lace is an excellent option as it is right on trend this season and seems to be continuing to be popular. A big trend hot from the catwalks is feathers, with designers such as John Galliano and Gucci proving big fans. Feather embellishment has already been seen on many A-List celebrities and would look fantastic if worn properly by women of mother of the bride age, but too many feathers at this age could make you look like a bird.
Another suggestion if you are looking for something different is to perhaps try using a college or university student whoâ??s studying fashion designing- you will benefit from their fresh fashion knowledge and you could be the first person to wear something from this future famous designer! At the end of the day, no matter what outfit you choose, you should always compliment it with the most elegant of accessories. It is usually traditional for the mother to wear a fancy hat, but these days itâ??s all about head pieces or fascinators. An elegant pair of strappy, small-heeled sandals will always look the best with whatever outfit you choose, and donâ??t over-do it on the jewellery!