swap shopping, get a whole new wardrobe or FREEEEEE

Hi everyone, hope you're well.

Since we're all a bit skint (holidays, festivals, the dreaded credit crunch) The Dresser is offering a very special deal on Swap Party bookings...

£25 a head for ten people!

Cheaper than a night out and much more productive!

In case you don't know what a swap party is, here is a quick rundown:

1. Gather yourself and your closest friends at a convenient house
2. Look out all the clothes you bought on impulse/never fitted/bought when drunk
3. As one woman's tripe is another's treasure, swap your cast offs for someone else's
4. Invite The Dresser to coordinate the swap and give personalised style advice and styling tips for your new look.

There you have it! Contact Jade at The Dresser either via email on style@the-dresser.com or call 07980 969 954 for more information or to book your swap party.

Thanks!

Top Tips on how to look like a star on your prom night

1. Consider Fashion

You might want to look completely on-trend in your prom dress, but stick to shapes and colours that suit your body and complexion. The main thing is to aim for a dress that suits you, not one that is this seasons’ must have, which, if it doesn’t suit, will haunt you forever! Use this season’s trends or look at what celebrities are wearing for inspiration and you won’t go wrong.

2. Budget

Some prom dresses run to hundreds of pounds and when you add on accessories, hair and make-up and transport, the whole thing can become very expensive! Consider your budget carefully. Would a simple, cheaper dress with expensive accessories and great hair and make-up look better than an expensive dress with cheap accessories? Think about what will make you feel better on the night to help you make your decision on where your budget should be blown.

3. Vintage

If your budget is very limited consider vintage. Glasgow has some of Europe’s best vintage stores where you can get a truly original dress fairly cheaply, which you can have altered to your exact specifications by a tailor or dress maker. This is a fool proof way of ensuring that no one else will be wearing the same dress and a great way to establish yourself as a sophisticated fashionista. People will be asking where you got your dress all night!

4. Accessories

Accessories are pivotal in individualizing your look for the prom. One of the biggest trends this summer is the corsage, which can be worn anywhere from your shoulder to your waist, but you should use your own style as a guide to what accessories to wear. The important thing with accessories is to use them to express yourself. Maybe you’ll be wearing a plain black dress - add loads of chunky gold accessories to toughen it up, or some statement shoes and an interesting bag for a real red carpet look.


5. Simple

Sometimes something really simple is the most eye-catching thing of all. If you’re not entirely convinced by the furore surrounding what to wear to your prom, go for something very simple. A classic shape in block colour with some muted accessories will make you the belle of the ball and ensure that your photos stand the test of time! Think Jackie Onassis, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn for this look, chic and timeless.

6. Footloose

If you’ve spent weeks investing time in your dress and you’re now looking for shoes too, my advice is to go for comfort. It might not be very exciting, but the one sure thing to ruin your night is crippled feet, and nothing is more unattractive in photos than bleeding toes! Use things like gel inserts to make sure the soles of your feet aren’t crushed and make sure when buying strappy sandals that don’t cut into your feet (this will make them swell and bulge, not attractive!). If you’re not comfortable in very high heels, try wedges with a platform which will give you height without wobbling about all night trying to stay upright.

7. Hair and make-up

If you’re doing your own hair and make-up, try out lots of different looks before your prom and take pictures to see which you prefer. Once again, I would emphasize that you should stick to what suits you. Don’t go to the hairdressers on the day and have your hair dramatically changed, stick to what suits. Preparation is key for this, so make sure you try different things and see what goes best with your dress. Find a celebrity you resemble and see how they have their hair and make-up done for big events; this is a great way to be inspired for your own look.

8. Suit or Kilt?

The prom can be a minefield for boys. Deciding whether to wear a suit or a kilt can be agonizing, but as with the girls, I’d recommend you go with what you find most comfortable. A kilt is a very classic look and will endure in photos for many years to come, but you might not feel comfortable! If you’ve chosen to wear a suit, however, it is absolutely crucial that it fits perfectly. Make sure it sits properly at the shoulders and that it isn’t too long in the sleeves or trousers. There are loads of different styles of suit, and it is certainly making a comeback. Think Marc Ronson, whose extravagant suits are the epitome of cool at the moment, or go with old school inspiration and look at the Mods and the Teddy Boys who completely reinvented the suit in the 50s and 60s.

9. Be prepared!

Leave plenty of time on the day to pamper yourself and relax before the big night. You want to arrive looking gorgeous and fresh, not panicked and stressed. Make sure everything is organized the night before; so have your outfit ready and your hair and make-up organized. Make sure you take essentials with you; as well as things like money and your phone, take safety pins for any wardrobe malfunctions (someone will need one at some point, it’s guaranteed!) mints, make-up for touch-ups, spare Kirby grips and a camera.

10. Be confident!

The most important ingredient to looking good for your prom is confidence! A big, genuine smile is the perfect accessory for any outfit, so plaster on one and go and have an amazing night.

The Dresser will work with you to find the perfect dress and accessories and make sure you look like a true star on the night. Your session includes a one hour consultation to discuss your personal style and how you want to look for the prom, a day of shopping with lunch and on-the-night styling to make sure you look perfect. Contact Jade by email at style@the-dresser.com or call on 07980 969 954 to book your styling session. See www.the-dresser.com for a full list of services and to learn more about The Dresser.

Summer is almost here!

Summer is nearly here and I’m sure everyone is in a panic about swimwear, accessories and what to pack for your time in the sun. Magazines and papers are full of advice about what you should be wearing on the beach this year.

Well, let me get my tuppence worth!

This summer everything should look a bit luxe, not sparkly cheap, but subtly glowing and luxurious. This goes for swimwear, shoes, jewellery, even hair and skin!

The Dresser’s personally adopted theme for the summer is Almost Famous, if Almost Famous had been on the French Riviera instead of middle America. Lots of vintage (or vintage looking) clothes with gorgeous statement jewellery in bold, bright colours.

Shoes should be delicate with embellishment or chunky, strappy and very eye catching.

Clothes should be floaty, delicate, sensual and flattering.

Hair should be glossy, groomed and still ‘un-done’.

Make-up should look absolutely natural with deep glowing sheen.

Still confused about your own holiday wardrobe or what to wear in the summer weather? Get in touch and we can organise a shopping trip to get you back up to date with summer style!

get sexy in the city!

With the long awaited movie almost here, most of us are waiting with bated breath to see what our favourite New Yorkers will be wearing!

The Dresser is offering the complete Sex and the City package this summer.

Stand out from the crowd and get the look of your favourite Sex and the City character on your own terms.

Whether you prefer Carrie’s kooky high-fashion style, Samantha’s outrageously sexy look, Charlotte’s sweet, WASPy style or Miranda’s contemporary, modern stylings, The Dresser can help transform your look, inspired by the most fashionable movie this summer.

With insider knowledge of Glasgow’s hidden boutiques and shopping meccas, The Dresser will show you how to look sexy in the city. Make this summer your most stylish yet.

Contact Jade, Style Director of The Dresser for more information or to book your Sex and the City make-over.

www.the-dresser.com
style@the-dresser.com
07980 969 954

Curve Crisis

The new Miss Surrey, Chloe Marshall is in the final of the Miss England and her figure is stirring up a storm. Not, you may think, because of it's fabulous proportions, but because some people are disgusted that she was allowed to enter the pageant in the first place.

A selection of disgraceful comments from an un-named daily newspaper:

This either reflects very badly upon the other women of Surrey that were competing if she won, (which I'm sure it doesn't) or the competition judges whom are just being overly politically correct by bestowing her with the Miss Surrey title. A laughing stock either way though.

Are we now going to get token fat girls in all beauty competitions and maybe under 5ft ones and over 6ft ones - and maybe bald headed ones or even one legged ones?

Granted she has a pretty face, but she is FAT. Not curvy nor voluptuous (and certainly no size 16). Sorry to put it bluntly, but this country is in the middle of an obesity crisis and this is not helping. That is an unhealthy size for a teenage girl!

Curvy? No. That's fat. There's a difference.

Am I the only one who thinks she's too big to be Miss England? I don't think a 16 year old who is that size can be a healthy eater.

Ok, so maybe Chloe is overweight but she seems happy that way. People are disguising their distaste by pointing out that she is a bad role model.

To be honest, I am heartily sick of the whole issue.

On another note though, she would have looked a hundred times better in a sculpted swimsuit with a fake tan and some glamorous jewellery. The bikini looks tacky and does absolutley nothing to flatter her.

Special offers this April!

The Dresser is offering a fabulous 15% discount on all services booked in April! All you have to do is email style@the-dresser.com with your requirements and quote 'blog' for your exclusive discount.

Maybe you're about to graduate and have your Grad Ball to worry about? Or maybe you're about to become the mother of the Bride or Groom?

Visit http://www.the-dresser.com/ for a full list of services and see what i can do to help!

Bag breaking

It’s no news to anyone that carrying around a massive bag can damage your back and shoulders. The recent trend for hugely oversized handbags has seen a massive increase in young women visiting chiropractors with chronic back pain.

The trend started when Hollywood stars started carting massive bags around to make themselves look petite in comparison. Which is slightly mental.

If you are going to carry a huge bag, and by all mean, do, then put as little as possible in it. The temptation is to fill the space with everything you could ever need! Keep it at a minimum and don’t be tempted to overload. Back pain never suited anyone.

Click Style

With perhaps the exception of the Next Directory it seems that catalogue shopping in Britain has become an archaic practice. We are now clicking our way to style online, using the online versions of our favourite stores to stock up on the latest trends and styles.

I am an absolute sucker for internet shopping and it wouldn’t be the first time I woke up after too many drinks with disturbing memories of eBay and Topshop.com and the dread of finding out how much damage I’ve done to my bank account!

On the good side, however, the internet is fantastic for keeping you absolutely up to date with what’s new in your favourite stores; no need to go out and battle the elements on the High Street, just go online. And they make it so easy for you. Free delivery on orders over £70, sale offers online without fighting people for the bargains, it’s all most helpful!

If you haven’t done much online shopping, give it a go. Here are some of my favourite online shops:

www.asos.com
www.net-a-porter.com
www.topshop.com
www.thecorner.com
www.yoox.com

There are literally thousands.
Go and have a look for yourself.

She's at it again!

Holly in a beaded, backless extravaganza on Dancing on Ice

Holly Willoughby is at it again; outraging the prime-time TV watchers with another va-va-voom gown. I think she looks sensational. Who wouldn’t want to look like that? Not for a trip down the shops, granted, but for an event her Dancing on Ice wardrobe is spot on.

She dresses perfectly for her shape and her colouring; she sits on the boundary between sexy and sophisticated and pretty much always gets it right. If you have a big event coming up there are some rules to follow which should make your night memorable for all the right reasons and ensure that you won’t be cringing at the photos in years to come!

The key is to dress for yourself in something that boosts your confidence and makes you walk with a bit of wiggle and posture.

So, if you’re tall and want to emphasize your height, something floor-length with sleek lines will show off your statuesque frame.

If you have a classic hourglass frame take inspiration from Holly and delve into the archives of old Hollywood glamour for something that will display your figure to it’s best. Be conscious of too much embellishment or garish colours; anything too ‘on-trend’ will ruin the photo ops.

If you’re short follow the lead of someone like Sarah Jessica Parker or Kylie Minogue, both of whom are small but never look overpowered by their clothes on the red carpet.

Basically, wear something that makes you feel amazing. No one ever had a good night while running to the toilet to adjust their clothes, tugging at hemlines or sitting holding in tummys all night!

A Rolling Stone gathers no Moss and all that…

There are two bits of news which I think merit comment today, both pretty revolutionary in fashion terms.

Firstly, wrinkly rocker, and bastion of the ageing rocker school of dress, ‘Keef’ Richards has just been photographed by Annie Liebowitz for the new Louis Vuitton campaign. Personally, I think it is utterly brilliant. That a man in his sixties, a man with a face like a pickled walnut, can become the latest model for one of the world’s most exclusively luxurious brands is fantastic. What people tend to forget is that people who are now in their sixties aren’t the stereotypical pensioners we tend to identify with that age group, shuffling about in tea-cosy hats muttering about the buses and bemoaning the youth.

This is the very generation who changed the face of fashion and music forever. These are the children of the 60s, the decade that made Britain and indeed, most of the rest of the world, wake up to the creativity and exuberance of youth. Mods and Rockers and all the rest of it. Those in their sixties still have that spirit and are still eager to dress well and look their best. Just look at Twiggy modelling for Marks & Spencer; she’s magnificent and in no way overshadowed by the younger models.

The point is that fashion isn’t just for young people; the older renegade generation in their sixties are setting trends just as much now as they did forty years ago, and really, we should respect them for it!

Keef does Louis Vuitton

Secondly. Poor Kate Moss has been toppled from the top of the Best Dressed list. New supermodel, Agyness Deyn is now the top fashion inspiration in the country. Now, Deyn may be beautiful, but as a style icon? I find her somewhat lacking. Sure, Moss’ style has been a bit staid of late, but she still inspires dramatic shifts in the wardrobes of women world wide. The day I go out and buy myself a tartan blazer in neon colours and pair it with a brown Louis Vuitton bag with be the day I…the terror is too much to contemplate.

Mossy vs Deyn

the FIRST EVER blog

Welcome to The Dresser’s first ever blog! This blog will be your weekly guide to what's happening in fashion-from emerging trends and styles through to where to buy on a budget or where to blow the budget!

Every week I’ll also post a style surgery where you can send in your fashion dilemmas and queries and I’ll give some optional solutions to suit your lifestyle and budget.

This really is style made easy.

One the up!

This week's best emerging trends.

SKIRTING THE ISSUE

Not the full skirts of Grease or any other Fifties cliché film you can think of. The new silhouette is more luxe. Bales of very fine silk chiffon perhaps beaded or embellished with a smattering of sequins or jewels. The most important thing to remember about this new shape of skirt that the sheer volume of fabric of the skirt must be balanced out by a very sleek, simple top half; for example, a delicate knit in a very neutral shade which allows the skirt to take the focus of the attention. Too much detail will inevitably kill this and you could end up looking more Helena Bottom Carter than is perhaps sensible.

Below from left: Topshop £75, Oscar de la Renta £1900, Coast £115

IN THE FRAME

Now before you simply scroll right by this entry, hear me out! I, as much as anyone, am slightly jaded and desensitised to the phenomenon of the ‘statement’ coloured frames of last summer. I felt they were a fad destined to be part of the ‘what were you thinking?’ bin within a month of their emergence last year. They are back, however, with an absolute vengeance. More grown up this season and less Lily Allen like, the statement frame is more fun and less elitist cool. With new shapes, more muted colours and a distinctly Seventies flavour, the statement frame comes into its own.

Below from left: Pepe £45, Christian Dior £110, Chloe £165

FRENCH DRESSING

This year’s winner of the Best Actress Oscar, Marion Cotillard is at the very forefront of celebrity style. Her experimental French style has been the fashion talking point of the recent awards ceremony and her Jean Paul Gaultier couture gown which she wore at the Oscars was a perfect example of relaxed French perfection. Her look is easily distilled by adding some waist length, jewel encrusted chains, fresh make-up, a striped nautical style top and a Chanel-esque quilted handbag. Maqnifique.

Below from left: Bag, Paul's Boutique £55, top, Topshop £30, multi long lenghth chain, £5 ASOS.com

COCKTAILS FOR TWO

It seems they have been all over the place for ages now; however, the allure of the ostentatious cocktail ring is as strong as ever. As the perfect foil for a simple daytime outfit, a cocktail ring adds sophistication and glamour to clean, chic separates. Some of the best examples can be seen on the high street, so keep your eyes peeled, particularly in Dorothy Perkins and Topshop who have some of the best this season.

Below from left: ASOS luxe £12, Topshop £6, Ted Baker £45, ASOS luxe £21

Keep checking back or subscibe to this blog for more style updates, also, don't forget, if you have a style dilemma send it to style@the-dresser.com for inclusion in the next style surgery!

Thanks!