Well, 2020 will certainly be a year we won’t forget! If anyone had predicted at the start of the year that we would have spent half of it locked down in our homes, that our hands would be red raw with overuse of antiseptic hand-gel, that we wouldn’t be able to hug (and possible even …
The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide
It’s that time of year when we are busy preparing for the holiday season and I wanted to share my Ultimate Holiday gift guide with you before Black Friday so you can take advantage of some of the best deals you will see this holiday season. I really love the holidays and I can’t wait …
What to wear on a video call
What to wear on a video call is a request I’ve been getting a lot lately, as so many more people are finding themselves working remotely as we navigate this new reality of living with a pandemic. In general, dress as you normally would for work, for a lunch date, for a drinks get-together, but …
What to do, eat and drink at Halloween
It’s almost Halloween, the spookiest night of the year : the night when the ghosts of the dead return to earth, and the line between this world and the next becomes blurred. Are you in the Halloween spirit yet? If not, I have just the cure to get you there! Halloween only comes round once …
What to do and see in Nice
It has been a while since our last travel guide (and a while since my last travels!) so I thought it was time to a) travel again, although I’m staying in France this time and b) share one of my trips with you, and what better place to start than with what to do and …
Lessons learned from the outfit challenge
Today I want to go through the lessons learned from the outfit challenge, and I also want to thank everyone who participated last week, whether it was in the Facebook group or on Instagram. I hope you have got more clarity on your personal style identity, know what outfits work for you and what don’t, and …
Why (and how) you should analyse your outfit.
Take a little time at the end of the day to analyse your outfit, so that you can better understand your personal style identity, know what outfits work for you and what don’t, and also make small tweaks to improve your outfit for next time. I also recommend taking photos of your outfit each day – they don’t have to …
Dress for your body type and drop a dress size without dieting (or exercise).
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature about How to dress for your body type and drop a dress size (without dieting or exercise!) It is not uncommon for women to struggle with body image issues. Whether it’s wanting to lose weight, having lost weight, or the inability to keep weight on /off …
Ten tips to look elegant and classy on a budget
You might assume that to look elegant and classy, you need to spend a fortune, but looking elegant isn’t just about flashy bags and jewellery, it’s about these little tricks that can make any outfit look more elevated. Here are my top 10 tips for how to look elegant and classy on a budget. Let’s go through …
Top 12 colors for Summer 2020
Top 12 Colors for Summer 2020 Bright and bold or soft and muted – there is a colour for every taste this summer. Here are my top 12 colors for Summer 2020 and some tips for how to wear them. The Pantone Colour of the Year 2020 is Classic Blue: Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, …
Top ten Instagram worthy spots in Madrid
By guest Contributor, Juliette Smith Hi, and Welcome back. I’m really excited to share this guest post about the top ten Instagram worthy spots in Madrid by Juliette Smith from Madrid Discovery. Who better to advise on the best locations than a local? Madrid is the capital city of Spain and mostly known to be …
The beginning of the end and a new beginning : Stay sane coming out of lockdown
There are two dates that will stay etched in my mind this year – firstly the 17th March, the day we started lockdown here in France and secondly today, the 11th May, the date the process of coming out of lockdown starts here. And, I admit that I’m excited, but also a little bit apprehensive …
How to declutter your wardrobe (and make some money)
There has never been a better time to declutter your wardrobe (and make a little extra income). Firstly, many of us are at home with the current pandemic, and decluttering your wardrobe is very therapeutic and a good distraction! It can even be fun! Secondly, for many of us we are at the time of …
Lockdown update and 5 sustainable fashion brands that should be on your radar.
How is everyone coping with lockdown? I hope these tips helped a little. Today, I’m sharing a brief update about lockdown, why I think sustainable fashion is so important and my top 5 sustainable fashion brands. One thing I’ve been thinking a lot about during lockdown is the environment. I feel like Mother Nature has …
3 European Capital Cities to add to your bucket list.
Although travel is off the agenda at the moment, these 3 European capital cities should definitely be on your bucket list for when we can travel again. 3 European Capital Cities to add to your bucket list. Head to Rome for an amazing cultural experience Without a doubt, Rome is one of the most popular …
5 Tips to stay sane during lockdown
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway, where today I want to share with you my 5 Top Tips to stay sane during lockdown. I realise that I haven’t posted for a little while. I was looking forward to updating you on my recent trip to Seville and sharing more style tips with you. However, as …
French Brands you should know about
“How to dress like a Parisian” is one of our most popular posts, so I thought that I would share 5 French brands you should know about with you today. Before, I go into any detail though, I would just like to say there are lots more than 5 French brands you should know about, …
3 things to remove from your wardrobe TODAY!
Welcome back to the Velvet Runway and this feature about 3 things to remove from your wardrobe today. Do you know that one of the best things you can do to improve your personal style is completely free! Going through your wardrobe and removing anything that doesn’t serve you isn’t just very therapeutic but it …
The Different Types of Travellers: Which One Are You?
There are different types of travellers and each have their own preference and reasons for travelling. You may find one who is motivated by thrill, self-improvement or even escapism. You may find that the way each type of traveller looks at destinations may be unique from others. Let’s take a look at some of the …
5 Valentine’s Day Looks you’ll love
So, as Valentine’s Day is now just over two weeks away, I thought it was time to share some Valentine’s Day looks you’ll love, whether you’re planning a romantic date, a Galentine’s night with your favourite girls or spending the night with Netflix and Ben and Jerry, there’s an outfit here that will fit the …
What to do in Tenerife
In my recent post on 12 European Places to visit in 2020, in January I recommended looking for Winter Sun in Tenerife (a Spanish Island). So, here is bit more information on what to see and do in Tenerife. If you have had enough of the January cold and you want to skip the winter …
How to dress like a Parisian and get effortless French style.
There’s something about “French style” that is endlessly intriguing and there are countless magazine articles and books on how to “dress like a Parisian”, “get the French look”, “dress like a French girl” etc. I’ve lived in France for over a quarter of a century, and when it comes down to it, of course, French women …
5 common style mistakes (and how to avoid them)
What Style Mistakes are you making? Read on to discover the 5 most common style mistakes and how to avoid them ! No-one is perfect and let’s be honest -we all have outfits that we look back on and wonder how we could have let ourselves go out ‘like that!’. We’ve probably all held on …
12 European Places to visit in 2020.
Make 2020 your year of travel. Whether you’re planning a city break, a family holiday, a cultural trip, a romantic getaway or a beach holiday, here are some suggested European Places to visit in 2020. I’ve given one suggestion per month, but for most destinations any month is equally valid. I limited my picks to 12 places …
New Decade New You
Hi, everyone, and Welcome to the New Decade ! Let’s make this one the best one yet! So, first off, apologies for the slightly cheesy title, but it really expresses what this post is about! When I first started this post, I was thinking and planning to write it from a Style point of view. …
Swan Lake and the legend of the flottins
Today I want to share with you a story about Swan Lake and the legend of the flottins and flottines, little creatures who arrived at Evian on the shores of Lake Geneva and saved Christmas one winter night. The story takes place in Evian les Bains, a beautiful alpine town on the shores of Lake …
Dress Colours for 2020
These Dress Colours Will Be Huge Hits in 2020 A brand new year is upon us. With it comes a new set of wardrobes for the always up-to-date fashionista, and what better way to start building your 2020 outfits than with the trendiest dress colours forecasted for the year of the rat, right? When …
Winter Box of Style by Rachel Zoe
Have you heard of Rachel Zoe’s Box of Style? The Box of Style is a quarterly subscription box, curated by Rachel Zoe and her team featuring over $400 of seasonal fashion and beauty finds for just $99.99. They kindly sent me the Winter Box of Style for review. As a Personal Stylist, I often find …
A perfect stay at the Hotel WindsoR in Nice
Set in an oasis of calm in the centre of Nice, the Hotel WindsoR is a charming four star “belle époque” hotel, just a stones throw from the sea front. It was truly the perfect place for a weekend break after a long week! It was heavenly to soak up the calm atmosphere and some …
Affordable jewellery brands you should know about
Three affordable jewellery brands you should know about When it comes to styling, jewellery is the icing on the cake, and enables you to inject a bit of your personality into your look. We all have different tastes in jewellery, some like classic, simple jewellery, others like statement pieces, some like silver, some like gold …