The 80's continues to be a strong fashion story in 2009

Agnes embraces 80s chic and you should too, it is one of the most fun decades filled with jelly bean sandals, Rar rar skirts, net, wearing jumpers as dresses, huge earrings, big hair and much, much more.Surprisingly this trend has real substance for all it pantomime and big theatrical looks, strong sculptural lines can be very flattering for most body shapes.

Sharon x

Your very own piece of Cherry Lane

One of my favourite films is Mary Poppins,I love the scene where she reaches into her carpet bag and coolly unpacks her lamp.Woven rugs to me have always exuded mystery and magic. So today when sales frenzy has probably reached every corner of the globe (I know that globes don't have corners,but isn't it a fun expression to use?) I decided to feature what I think are probably the most breath taking bags on earth, from carpetbags.

Loretta's Story (the company founder) has very humble beginnings, in 1974, she moved from London to Bury St Edmund's in Suffolk.With the aim of helping set up charitable organisation Green Desserts,which was interested in raising funds to help with the refertilisation of dessert wasteland.During this time, she enjoyed visiting dead stock auctions where she would bid for a variety of bric a brac, she would purchase anything that caught her eye particularly old mirrors and remnants of old Persian carpet.

It was during this time that members of the charity asked if she had any ideas for items that could be sold at the May Horse Fair to raise money for the charities work.Keen to contribute, she was inspired to make some bags using the the remnants of the carpet she had collected and a old treadle sewing machine her friend had given her.Following a disappointed day at the fair, Loretta undeterred decided to take her bags to London to sell to Harrods and Liberty,they sold immediately. A week later repeat orders came flooding in from both stores,the rest is history.

Today they use copies of images of Persian rugs printed onto heavy duty cotton as it has been increasingly difficult to source old pieces of carpet,the bags themselves are still hand crafted individually and sold online, in London and in Loretta's shop in Cambridge shire. Visit carpetbags to see more of the companies beautiful designs. These bags really do live up to the concept of a bag for life, as once bitten forever smitten!
Sharon x

Bags of Tribal Style!

Hi again, this week I'm flying the flag for Fair Trade accessories and in particular Fairtade in Nepal, I am lucky enough to have family out there, so thought I would do my bit to raise awareness of some of the really chic pieces you can now pick up when on line.

I hope like these two great looks I have put together, the first shows how you can transform a romantic Tribal look, to a stronger sexier look and the second look shows how Tribal can be really elegant, without a hint of Boho or Grunge in sight.

This earthy gold and ochre Nepalese Fairtade woven hemp bag in a classical style would great when worn with either the Om Marni silver Nepalese Fair trade bracelet or this lovely Heart Twill red seed handmade bracelet by Suzanne Cambell at Jungle Berry that doesn't use any toxic dyes as it relies on the seeds natural colour for impact. For an even stronger look,wear the Om Marni bracel and is stunning Nepalese Fair trade red glass bead necklace, wear with brown gladiator sandals.

Look number two, shows how to build a elegant Tribal feel, that looks really sophisticated, little sister beware, this look could be worn day or night. This Lipsy dress offer a vibrant Tribal pattern with a flattering forties cut, sheer genius.Wear with Sunset Orange raw silk bag from Fair trade company Nepalese Creations, these beautifully fluid solid silver earrings from Welsh Company La Jewelry, which use locally sourced silver and this silver and garnet holes bracelet again Fairtade from Nepal. All combine to make temperatures soar!

See you soon

Sharon x

Hot Vintage Prints For Little Girls

I was delighted when I found these striking dresses by Kinchimama a fashion designer from the Netherlands who is passionate about reworking vintage fabrics. I love the fact the fashion designers range is so pure in Style and she has not tried to incorporate adult design elements.

Sharon x

Mad Hatters tea party invite, anyone want to be Alice?

With summer fetes springing up all around me, it feels like summers really here, which got me dreaming about beautiful garden parties and of course the Mad Hatters Tea party. I couldn't resist sharing some of my favourite hat snaps with you from bottom to top, the colours combinations of this hat quite simply evoke a peacocks feather, then there is a John French, net hat, Madame Paulette, followed by this lovely Art Deco hat broach, next up is this gorgeous crazy spiky orange hat, my favourite worn by karen Henrikson and lastly the divine Audrey Hepburn in pink hat. Enjoy!

Sharon x

Kids Style File

I love this boho little princess look, just for all you mums out there, the summer prints are adorable, enjoy!

Sharon x

Join my vintage workout and discover which dresses work to give you killer curves in minuites!

Do you love vintage fashion? The dress has seen a huge come back for women and a Vintage dress sorts the women out from the girls.If you wonder how to pull of some of the stunning style which graced the silver screen,prepare to look hot this summer.I'm going to share some of my top Style secrets with the help of my Friends at vintage clothing company Rokit, which will leave you in no doubt as to whether you should be channeling Twiggy, Jane Mansfield or Liz Taylor.

Lets start with the Jane Mansfields among you, you might think that curvy hourglasses can get away with wearing a sack cloth, but you would be wrong, women with this Body Shape tend to have a short waist and be fuller busted, which can mean that wearing the wrong dress can result in a brick like Shape. The right neckline and waist line as well as length of dress are vital, to make the most of your killer curves. Also you have alot going on, physically I mean, so fussy is out!

This floral red halter neck from Rokit is perfect for defining all your curves in the right way. The halter neck gives the illusion of a smaller bust and draws attention to your neck and most importantly your face, it is nice to have attention occasionally focused on this area too! The dress defines the waist without cinching it in too tightly creating sensual rather than cartoon like curves.

Next up is those of you who are Twiggy like, which may mean, you have little waist definition boyish hips,small boobs and fantastic willowy legs and arms. You can eat whatever you want including obscene quantise of Ferrero Roche, why not flaunt your many talents!

Heres how, avoid dresses with overly big flouncy sleeves which can make your arms look like a sparrows rather than the willowy beauties they are. Also stay away from copious amounts of fabric, or you could look like a little girl rather than the sophisticated woman that you are. Fit, pattern and colour are critical in giving your shape real substance. This Mustard pattern A-line dress from Rokit is perfect, the bold pattern and colours on the skirt draws the eye to your best asset your legs. Black and mustard convey elegance, clever accessorising with white, ivory or silver heeled pumps and white beads will give you a dress that can easily become a transitional piece, worn in summer or winter. The round neck and dark bodice disguise your small bust and frame your face. where the pattern of the A-line skirt and the bodice meet on your natural waist cleverly creates the illusion of a nipped in waist.

Finally those pear shapes,wanting to follow in the divine beauty of silver screen goddess Liz Taylor, take note, the waist rules, fabric must not cling, but be weighty enough to skim over a curvy bottom and thighs.Wide straps will eat into a narrow shoulder line, so they are a definite no.Padded bras were all the rage in the 50s, helping to create the hourglass shape women craved, remember a little enhancement goes along way! If you want to channel Liz's look this summer, remember if you have a small waist, the curves of the 50's sirens can be brought up to date by appearing softer, avoid broad belts and cinching in too tightly at the waist. Let the line of the dress do the talking.

With this in mind I have chosen a gorgeous sweet blue cotton dress with sweetheart neckline, narrow straps and white button detailing down the centre and nipped in waistline.This classic vintage design flatters the pear shape beautifully and the crisp cotton with full underskirt disguises a generous bottom,whilst the central white buttons running the length of the dress elongate the body.Wear with clashing emerald green accessories or gold pumps and sherbet yellow chunky necklace for a bit more edge.

Hope you enjoyed our Vintage workout and you now feel ready to embrace your killer curves! See you again soon.

Sharon x

P.S Rokit are offering a 15% discount off all vintage clothing lines for My Passport to Style subscribers, when you enter the following discount code prior to payment - RPTSB15
Offer ends August 31st 2009

Tangerine Dreams are made of this

As you will probably have guessed being a Style Consultant means I am pretty much addicted to colour, I love colour whether it might be sherbet,candy or acidic in origin.I'm not really a neutrals girl, although they can often be a really useful addition to most wardrobes in the right quantities!. I belive that colour gives us energy and fine tunes are Image . The right colours can give our skin a luminosity quality and make our hair shine.I call it the buttercup effect, the right colour will light up your whole face. I hope you enjoy my round up of my favourites this season, although I am slightly biased towards orange!

Have a great weekend!

Sharon

Umbella Skyscape

Hi there, I love this Umbrella Skyscape, the translucent quality reminds of a cluster of giant jelly fish, rising up to the seas surface, hark at me, getting all poetical, it is very pretty though.

Contempory Styling, for mother of the bride, I say have your cake and eat it!

Hi there ,

since we are now fully into the Wedding season, I couldn't resist show casing this exquisite suit and hat from Fiorisimo in charcoal, I love this strong elegant look, which quite clearly illustrates that classic wedding styling can be given a contemporary twist, the hat is just drop dead gorgeous!

The mother of the bride or groom needs to styled in such a way, so as not to upstage the mother of the bride whilst still reflecting the the importance of her role on the day, it can be a difficult balance to strike. Mother of the bride and groom wedding attire has traditionally been pretty uninspiring,but thankfully retailers are waking up to the fact that just because it is our son or daughter big day, doesn't mean that the way we dress for the big occasion can't reflect our own personal style and have an impact that doesn't make you want to reach for a cough candy sweet, tartan rug and thermos flask.

A personal Style consultant can broaden your repertoire of what you consider to be suitable mother of the bride or groom attire, helping you create a unique and flattering look. Discuss your individual requirements and what image you hope to project on your son or daughters big day, taking into consideration key factors such as the theme or look of the whole bridal party and most significantly the bride. You might be pleasantly surprised about what you end up paying for your outfit, when you enlist a Style Consultant who can use their expertise to Style you for the Special day using retailers that are not necessarily classed as bridal out lets. As well as this, there is the added bonus that the a Style Consultant is trained to work with your unique body shape and colouring and to source clothing that works with your body shape to flatter it, you could come away with a look that creates the effect that you have dropped a dress size!

Sharon