Moving My Wardrobe to Autumn/Winter

This weekend I was finally dragged (kicking and screaming I might add) into packing my summer clothes away and greeting the old friends of my Autumn/Winter wardrobe.

As the nights now draw in and the days get colder, my thoughts turn away from pretty Summer dresses and move towards cosy, warm clothing.  Vibrant scarves, faux fur, gorgeous warm clothes that you can wrap yourself up in while still maintaining your style.

It is this point that I have a ruthless cull of anything that I have not worn over the previous season, giving me a good excuse when the seasons change and I change my wardrobes, to purchase a few new key pieces.

That being said, at this time of year my focus has to be on buying Christmas presents and saving for my New Year break away, so my clothing choices and the costs thereof have to be measured.  I always look for free delivery offers and check out sites such as Boohoo Discount Codes and Crazy Clearance for discounts on clothing.  The Boohoo site also donates 20% of its profits to charity, so I can also feel a little philanthropic while I shop.

Here are some of the finds that I have my eye on at the moment.

No need to disregard colour when the cold hits, embrace it!

Asos Curve £35.00

This glittering bomber jacket is perfect for slipping over a party dress or funking up an ordinary weekend outfit

Boohoo £40.00

No florals in Winter?  Think again with this gorgeous dress from Joe Browns

Crazy Clearance £20.00

Everyone needs a traditional Christmas top, my choice comes with baubles!

Very £25.00

 What are your favourites for this season?

Strictly Style

As it comes towards Christmas (yes I am officially using the C word now) my Saturday nights are filled with Strictly Come Dancing.

I love to see all the beautiful dresses that the female celebrities wear each week and of course, what Claudia and Tess are wearing.   I particularly love Tess' style which is always effortless and classic.  She always looks amazing.  

I recently got the opportunity to check out an interview given by her stylist James Yardley that I thought that I would share with you.  I particularly love, and subscribe, to his ethos of following what you like to wear, not the latest fashion trend.

James Yardley is a freelance fashion, celebrity and commercial stylist. Based in London, he assisted the renowned Frank Strachan, styling clients that included The Saturdays, JLS, Nicole Scherzinger, Kylie Minogue and The X Factor. Now working independently, James works with international and UK based-celebrities, including Rochelle Humes and Tess Daly, alongside commercial brands. He also works closely with suppliers, such as fashion store Garment Quarter, to achieve his on-point looks. We managed to squeeze in a chat with him amongst his hectic schedule…

We’d love to know how your career path progressed to get you to this stage. Could you give us an overview?

I started interning at 21 at Attitude magazine under the then Fashion Director, Frank Strachan. I was supposed to only be there for two weeks and then after two months finally left.

On my first day working at my new job Frank called me and asked if I’d like to start work as his assistant. I took a massive leap of faith, quit my new job and joined Frank the very next day.

Do you have any advice for aspiring fashion stylists?

It’s so cliché but work hard and be kind. It shines like the brightest light in this industry. There are so many people who want to work in fashion and sit at a pretty desk writing emails, but in reality it’s long hours, hard work and determination that makes you into an actual Fashion Stylist. What I mean by ‘actual Fashion Stylist’ is being one of the few who can pay their bills with it as a job, not just write it in their Instagram bio.

We imagine your job’s pretty varied, but what does a typical ‘day in the life of James Yardley’ look like?

I actually couldn’t answer this. Every day is different. Some days are sitting in front of my computer for hours sending emails, others are spent out doing appointments and loaning/buying clothes and other days are spent on set at TV/photo studios. Every day is different, some amazingly fun and some not so much.

Which celebrities have you styled? Do you have any favourites? If so, why?

I’ve styled a varied amount of celebrity clients now but I’d have to say my favourite is Rochelle Humes. She’s just a laugh and she’s become my friend after all these years too.

How do you approach styling a client for an event? Do you get to know them first, research the event or TV slot, or have an overall objective?

It’s a complete meeting of minds. Recently I styled Tess Daly for the BAFTAs and I had an overall objective in my head. I could see the dress in my head and had drawn the design, and with the help of the designer and Tess’ opinion we created the perfect gown for the event. Overall the dress made Tess feel confident, and also gained the best press of the night.

How do you approach different body types? Do you have any tips for dressing different shapes – hourglass, pear, apple, athletic?

Follow what you know, not the latest fashion trend. Respect your body and do it justice by wearing pieces you know suit you and overall give you confidence.

Do your clients ever come with preconceived ideas of what they want? How much input do they have?

The beauty of styling celebrities and not just models is they have a voice and I love that. I would never say I completely styled someone head to toe. As I previously mentioned it’s a meeting of minds and all my clients have opinions – and I work with that when I’m styling them.

You’ve picked the outfit, but what about the extras? ow impoAre accessories, shoes, hair and makeup your decision too?

In the case of working with celebrities I always voice my opinion on hair and makeup but it’s again more of a meeting of minds. We all like talking about an outfit, hair, makeup etc. and by discussing it all openly and brainstorming ideas, I believe that’s how you create a killer look!

We’ve had a peek at your Instagram and noticed you co-designed a dress for Rochelle Humes. Is that something you’re looking to do more of? What else have you designed? Any upcoming projects?

Yes, interesting you ask. I’ve done a few bespoke dress collaborations with designers for Rochelle and also Tess recently. I really enjoy the process and having an opinion so it’s definitely something I’m looking into doing. There are a few upcoming projects – stay tuned!

Tell us about your relationship with Garment Quarter – how do you work together? What do you like about working together?

I LOVE the team at Garment Quarter. I’ve had a long standing relationship with them since I was an assistant and I’ve always enjoyed the amazing selection across a varied amount of brands. There’s always something new and exciting, and something I’m dying to put one of my clients in.

Is there any reason you’d choose designer brands over high street when dressing your clients?

I personally love to mix up designer brands and high street pieces when styling my clients, however I do tend to lean towards designer brands when it comes to quality and unique cut and design. It’s something that only designer brands can offer and can’t be rivalled by the high street.

Quick-fire round – snap-decisions please!

Nickname? Yardley

Tea or coffee? Coffee

Instagram or Snapchat? Snapchat

Worst habit? Not replying on WhatsApp even when I’ve read the message…

Best habit? Saving money!

Mood right now? Excited. I finally get a holiday this week.  

Last thing you ate? Protein bar

Last thing you texted? ‘Sounds magical!’ To my flatmate

Favourite saying? ‘At the end of the day...’ I love to summarise everyone’s conversations!

When One Door Closes

Only a few weeks ago I was writing about losing my beloved Rosie, who had died a couple of weeks before.  Seven months before that, I was writing about my gorgeous Ellie 

For the first time in over twenty plus years, we found ourselves in a house without a dog family member.  Strange is not the word to describe.  Empty is.

The sounds that you are used to hearing of a dog emerging from the back of the sofa, the eyes down walk you have around the house to avoid stepping on dogs/toys/water bowls.  That friend that would always know when you were upset and were the best comfort.  The friend who gave you so much unconditional love.  

The house, and we, needed a dog in our lives.

We started very slowly looking around and thinking about getting another dog.  Still grieving and unsure if we were ready.   The thing is, when is the right time?  We have so much love to give and that does not diminish the love that we had for our other dogs.  They will never be forgotten.

Benji -My sweet boy with the under shot jaw who always looked like he was smiling.  He had good a good nature.

Sophie - The little princess who followed my mum around everywhere she went.  She loved to sit on the back of the chair, looking regal.  My mum's favourite.

Cindy - Taken from us soon but who gave us such joy.  I still hear her jumping from my mum's bed and bounding down the hallway when I called her name, ready for play or cuddles.

Ellie - My baby.  Stubborn, precocious, contrary, wonderful.  Getting a kiss from her was like winning an Oscar, but she came every day to me for a cuddle.

Rosie - All she wanted in the world was love, and to sit with me/on me, near me.  She was protective over her sister Ellie and loved us so much.

Now it is nearly six weeks since we lost our lovely Rosie and there is a new addition to the house.  Meet Simba.

We found Simba the Shih Tzu in an advert on Gumtree.  People who loved him but due to changing work commitments, no longer had enough time for him and he was stuck in a cage all day.  We went to see him and a few days later he was ours.

He is loving, fun and a bit daft.  He fits right in.

A thousand comfortable places in the house, but he likes the fireplace to sleep on.

Typical boy.

Somewhere he likes to chill out on,  My handbag.  Go figure.

Think he needs a trim!