Traditions

Hi Ladies

This morning while I was sewing the last few hand stitches on my new hand luggage bag, I was thinking about traditions how we all make our own traditions in our own little families. My hand luggage bag for example, every year I make myself a new one even though last year's is perfectly OK & will hold everything I need to take on my travels. I was thinking about the pizza I'll buy the night before we travel & how I'll worry all the way to the airport that I've forgotten my passport even though I've checked my bag a million times. The last minute diet, endless lists, fake tan, shopping for new nail varnishes, realising we didn't learn any more Spanish in the whole year even though we promised ourselves we'd be fluent by now.....

This year I have a new way to pack my bag though, a new tradition starting now thanks to Helen at Style Step www.stylestep.co.uk She helped me understand 'my' colours & so now I know how to make my skin look better even before the tan develops :) She helped me with what styles of jewellery work best & all the little details that making packing easier. The words 'capsule wardrobe' used to distress my very being but I have learned that less pieces that work well together & most importantly, make me feel good, save me alot of money in excess baggage! Who's Husband wouldn't agree with that???

Helen has been running small group workshops from her amazing studio in Partridge Green. What a lovely way to spend an evening, learning how to make ourselves look fabulous & all for only £25!

Once we understand the best styles & shapes for us, the next step is to clear out the wardrobe of all those colours & shapes that no longer work. I have been cloning some of my favourites...making copies of trousers that fit well in different fabrics, copies of skirts I love. My favourite place for fun fabric shopping is Fabricland in Brighton. At this time of year it is literally bursting with fabulous summery fabrics. Everything you can imagine including a beautiful floaty print for my new kimono. I literally lose hours in that shop & if I have any questions I find Scarlet, she just lovely & super helpful. Have a look at their website http://www.fabricland.co.uk/ but nothing beats a visit.

Don't forget that most of your clothes can be altered, mended or customised to make it work for you. I'm always happy to chat about any changes you'd like to make. Everything from taking up a hem on a pair of jeans to completely changing an outfit or remaking an old favourite.

One of my favourite traditions started this time last year. I read in my Elle magazine while lying on the beach about a beauty editor (I still haven't looked for her name to give her a shout out) who took advice from a model friend for making her skin super sexy & silky. She used a body moisturiser & then a layer of body oil. She listed lots of very expensive products but I'm happy to report that it works on any budget...for the last year I've been using all kinds of body lotions (whichever were on special offer at the time) with a supermarket baby oil & the effects are amazing. Lovely soft skin. The other great thing about it is the lovely sheen you get on tanned shoulders when all dressed up for a holiday/Summer evening out.

Right, it's time to refresh all my holiday whites with a blast of Vanish...works so well!

Please let us know about all your traditions, holidays or otherwise. We'll be adding a Summer page to our website very soon & would love to quote you on summer/holidays tips & traditions.

More soon...we'll be back in a couple of weeks with lots of summer recipes, cute new pieces for EVieB at Seasonal Sisters & plenty of new fabulous summer handbags.

Hurray for Summer!

Victoria xxx